Major champ weighs in on LIV Golf speculation: "It hasn't been denied either"

Justin Rose has offered his thoughts on speculation linking Tom McKibbin with a switch to LIV Golf. 

McKibbin is understood to have agreed a move to the lucrative league despite earning his maiden PGA Tour card last season. 

The Irishman, 22, who was born in the same town as Rory McIlroy, was reduced to tears as he finished among the top 10 players without a card in the DP World Tour's season finale in November. 

McIlroy even congratulated the golfer on realising his dream in the immediate aftermath of the accomplishment.

But it appears McKibbin has been persuaded to take a leap of faith. 

McKibbin would not be drawn into commenting on his future when pressed by Golf Digest ME earlier in the week. 

And Rose, who is leading Great Britain and Ireland in this week's Team Cup, says the atmosphere has been unaffected by the conjecture. 

The event serves as a useful Ryder Cup warm-up, with Rose's team going head-to-head with 12 players from Continental Europe led by Edoardo Molinari. 

Amusingly, Rose selected McKibbin to partner LIV recruit Tyrrell Hatton in the opening session. 

"I think we're all aware of that," Rose told BBC Sport's Iain Carter when asked about the McKibbin rumour.

"It hasn't been confirmed to me, but it hasn't been denied either.

"The team room is the team room this week and the lads are all here for this week."

He added: "I think all of that is down the road in the future and we're used to that narrative in golf now the last few years, it's been unsettled for a while.

"We're all quite accustomed to it. My team is just enjoying being here in the Middle East - what a wonderful place to start the season - and mucking in and wanting to get their own individual seasons off to a fantastic start."

Should McKibbin move to LIV, it is expected that he would join Jon Rahm's Legion XIII side. 

The Spaniard has been trying to fill vacant spot in his quartet after Kieran Vincent was relegated. 

Rahm - along with Hatton - also has U.S. player Caleb Surratt in his team. 

PGA Tour member Tony Finau was linked with a switch to Rahm's side in recent months. 

It was also speculated that Rahm was also keeping tabs on rising DP World Tour prospect Angel Ayora, as well as fellow Callaway staffer Angel Hidalgo. 

Finau recently skipped back-to-back PGA Tour events which only added intensity to the speculation. 

But the American teed it up in last week's season-opener in Hawaii. 

Finau is not in the field for this week's Sony Open, though. 

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