Rory McIlroy has told Tom McKibbin that cashing in on a move to LIV would not be ‘worth the sacrifice’.

The 22-year-old, who has been something of a protege to McIlroy since his emergence from the same Holywood Golf Club, is expected to accept a £4million offer to joining the Saudi-backed circuit.

That would mean shunning the PGA Tour card he earned just two months ago, with the added blow that his climb through the rankings will stall. Given the world No 114 is also on Luke Donald’s radar for the Ryder Cup later this year, McIlroy has advised his fellow Northern Irishman against taking the short-term gain.

‘If I were in his position and I had his potential, which I think I have been before, I wouldn’t make that decision,’ said McIlroy, who joins McKibbin in the Dubai Desert Classic field this week.

McIlroy added: ‘There is still a ton of money to be made on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. There is so much money in the game, some would argue too much for the eyeballs we attract. So whatever the benefit may be, I don’t think it’s worth the sacrifice for what he’s potentially going to give up.

‘I have known Tom since he was 10 years old and we had a really good conversation. I talked to him multiple times over the course of December to get a feel of what he was thinking and what he was going to do. All I could do was give my perspective.

‘Personally, for me it would be a little disappointing if it were to happen, but I made it perfectly clear I am not going to stand in your way. At the same time I feel he’s giving up a lot to not really benefit that much.

‘I definitely think he can be a top-ten player in the world but his ranking won’t show that for the next couple of years if he makes one decision over another.’