The greenbacks keep coming Tom McKibbin’s way, even if the Northern Irishman was confined to the role of cheerleader as his Legion XIII scooped the $14 million jackpot in the LIV Golf Michigan Team Championship.
Although he’d done his part in steering Legion XIII to the top of the leaderboard to tie Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers, team captain Jon Rahm opted to partner Tyrrell Hatton for the two-man playoff with McKibbin and Caleb Surrat cheering on and then given the roles as champagne sprayers as Rahm and Hatton defeated DeChambeau and Paul Casey at the second playoff hole to claim the huge pay-day for the team.
“I quite enjoyed watching. I’m glad I wasn’t hitting the shots. I love watching golf and sort of just to get to stand there and see those shots come in was cool,” said McKibbin.
And Rahm was effusive in his praise of the two younger players, who had been big players in getting the team into the playoff: “Neither Tyrrell or I were having a great day today, and even during the whole week, I don’t think we played our best. But the young guys kind of were a beacon of strength … they carried us all the way to the end. Just so proud of them.”
McKibbin, who didn’t take up his PGA Tour card this season after moving to LIV to join Rahm’s team, returns to DP World Tour action at next week’s Amgen Irish Open at The K Club.
Leona Maguire on target to make LPGA’s Tour Championship
Leona Maguire remains very much on target to make the LPGA Tour’s end-of-season CME Globe Tour Championship, as the Cavan golfer follows up a top 20 in the Canadian Open at this week’s tour stop, the FM Championship at Norton, south of Boston.
Maguire – who was in contention through 36 holes in Canada before falling away over the weekend as home favourite Brooke Henderson lifted the title – has a busy itinerary upcoming, with events in the United States and Asia before the tour returns to Florida in late November for the Tour Championship.
The Solheim Cup player is currently 50th in the LPGA Tour order of merit, with the leading 60 players advancing to the Tour Championship.
Word of Mouth
“I really, really want to make that team. If that call goes the wrong way in my opinion, it’s going to be a bit of a hard one to take. I feel like I’ve done everything you could ask of me to make that team over the last four weeks, and then if you look back further, really half a season.” – Cameron Young on waiting to see if he gets the nod from US captain Keegan Bradley for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage. Since his breakthrough win in the Wyndham, Young has gone 1st-5th-11th-4th in hitting a rich vein of form. Bradley is due to confirm his six wild card selections on Wednesday.
By the Numbers: 15
The inaugural Irish Women’s Challenge – part of the LET Access Series, the development tour which offers a pathway to the Ladies European Tour – takes place at Malahide Golf Club in north county Dublin this week (August 27th-29th) with 15 Irish players, including LET cardholder Canice Screen, in the 126-woman field. Curtis Cup player Áine Donegan is one of 13 Irish amateurs playing in the 54-hole strokeplay tournament.
On this day: August 26th, 1979
Tom Watson’s fifth win of the PGA Tour season came at the expense of Johnny Miller in the Colgate Hall of Fame at Pinehurst.
Without a win in three years, going back to his Open win at Royal Birkdale, Miller’s return to form at Pinehurst seemed destined to finally get him back into the winner’s enclosure only for Watson to deprive him in a playoff.
Watson eagled the 16th to tie Miller and, then, claimed victory with a par at the second hole of sudden death after his opponent drove into the rough and overhit his approach to the green, failing to get up and down to save par.
The winner’s cheque brought Watson’s earnings for the season over $447,636 which made him the first player in the history of the PGA Tour to top $400,000 in one season.
Watson’s earlier victories this year were in the Heritage, the Tournament of Champions, the Byron Nelson Classic and the Memorial.
“I thought I had all the marbles [until Watson’s eagle],” Miller said. “But I was happy to make it to the playoff. Somebody’s got to win playoffs and somebody’s got to lose.”
Social Swing
Your journey is a reminder that hard work, resilience, and heart do pay off. No one deserves it more. Congrats @TommyFleetwood1! – Tiger Woods tips the cap to Tommy Fleetwood.
Let’s go Tommy!!!! Congrats!! – US Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is a Fleetwood fan.
Not my week @AllyChallenge Finished T53rd. Struggled with my focus all week @ChampionsTour – Pádraig Harrington on a disappointing two week stint on the Champions Tour. He returns to DP World Tour action at next week’s Amgen Irish Open at The K Club.
Tommy Fleetwood of England poses with the FedEx Cup trophy after winning the final round of the Tour Championship 2025 at East Lake. Photograph: Jared C Tilton/Getty In the Bag: Tommy Fleetwood (Tour Championship)
Driver: TaylorMade Qi35 (10.5 degrees)
Mini driver: TaylorMade R7 Quad (13.5 degrees)
5-wood: TaylorMade Qi35 (18 degrees)
9-wood: TaylorMade Qi10 (24 degrees)
Irons: TaylorMade P7TW (5-PW)
Wedges: TaylorMade Hi-Toe 4 (52 degrees), TaylorMade MG Proto (56 and 60 degrees
Putter: TaylorMade Spider Tour Black
Ball: TaylorMade TP5x
Know the Rules
Q: A player hits their shot out of bounds from the fairway. When dropping the ball under stroke and distance, they must drop the ball as near as possible to the spot from where the last stroke was made, no nearer the hole. True or False?
A: False. Rule 14.6b: When dropping a ball under stroke and distance in the general area, a ball must be dropped within one club-length of the point from which the previous stroke was made and in the same area of the course as that point.
