Tom McKibbin finished the DP World Tour season with T10 and T11 finishes in Abu Dhabi and Dubai to earn his PGA Tour card.
The Northern Irishman from Holywood Golf Club described it as a "stressful" end to the season but thanks to his play will now embark on a year Stateside with dual DPWT-PGA Tour membership in the hopes of taking his career to the next level.
McKibbin, who turns 22 next month, will begin his 2025 in Abu Dhabi in the Team Cup, where he'll hope to impress Europe's Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald knowing that his "massive goal" of making his debut for Team Europe is a realistic possibility if he continues his form.
"I think it would definitely be a massive goal for next year and I think to be a part of that team at the start of the year is pretty cool, and it’s definitely a great opportunity for me. And then I will have to go and play some really good golf for the rest of the year," McKibbin said on his goal of making his Ryder Cup debut next year having made Justin Rose's GB&I side to face Francesco Molinari's Continental Europe.
"Really excited to be a part of that next year, it was definitely something that I wanted to play in probably from about January, February time when I remembered it was on in a year’s time. So that was definitely something that was on my radar this year.
"I think to be a part of a team like that next year should be a really cool way to start the year and mix in with those guys."
The World No.105, who won the 2023 Porsche European Open, first watched the Ryder Cup in 2012 when Europe mounted their stunning final day comeback at Medinah. He admits that making the team has been a dream ever since.
"Yeah definitely, I think so from watching all those moments on TV throughout the years and seeing that bond that everyone has that plays it is pretty cool."
If he were to make the Ryder Cup next year, one player he'd be joining on the team is fellow Holywood GC prodigy Rory McIlroy.
McKibbin is 14 years younger than McIlroy, and his first memory of watching golf on TV was his countryman's 2011 US Open victory at Congressional. He says that McIlroy has been an inspiration to him and getting to know him over last decade has been "pretty cool", with the pair playing multiple practice rounds together at this year's Open and US Open. They were also paired at the Irish Open.
McIlroy told Tom he was "very proud" of him after earning his PGA Tour card in the immediate aftermath of the DP World Tour Championship.
"I'm happy for him. That was a massive goal for him was to get one of those ten cards and go play in America. Super happy for him," McIlroy said.
"He's done amazingly well, and I think his game is going to be suited for America. He hits the ball high. Hits it long. He won in Germany last year, The European Open. He's had chances this year; the playoff against Marcel in Italy, and he's been very, very consistent.
"For a guy that's only 21 to show that level of consistency, that bodes well for the future. Obviously very, very happy for him and excited he achieved one of his big goals this year and getting one of those cards."
McKibbin agrees with his idol that his game is favored to US-style parkland golf.
"I definitely would prefer parkland golf, I’ve always said that growing up. As I’ve got older I’ve come to appreciate links golf a little bit more as I’ve been able to play it a little bit better, but I much prefer that more predictable, in the trees type of golf," he said, while revealing he is yet to map out his schedule but plans to play predominantly in the US next year.
"I’ve played a lot of good golf over in the States. I don’t know whether the golf courses suit me or not. I think a lot of the courses we play over here are Americanized as well so we’ll have to see, but I do think I tend to play better on some of the courses that are a little bit harder and aren’t as low scoring. I definitely just love playing golf over in the States, it’s something that I’ve always really enjoyed."
The possibility of making the Ryder Cup team and tasting victory on the PGA Tour is a lofty goal, but it's not out of the question after fellow DP World Tour players Robert MacIntyre and Matthieu Pavon showed the way with three wins between them on the US circuit this year.
"I think a lot of the guys that play over here are good enough to go over and play well over there, so I think what those guys did this year was pretty cool and to be able to have that chance as well for myself this year and try and see where I can go."
McKibbin is set to play in the Joburg Open and South African Open to round out the year before teeing it up in the Team Cup and then heading Stateside.
