Tom McKibbin refuses to be drawn on reports of LIV Golf move

The 22-year-old had earned dual membership for the PGA and DP World Tours. 

Tom McKibbin with his caddie during the DP World Tour Championship. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

Tom McKibbin did not deny that he may be about to join Jon Rahm's LIV Golf team when asked about reports ahead of this week's Team Cup in Abu Dhabi.

The 22-year-old, whose home club is Holywood, the same as Rory McIlroy, has earned dual membership to the PGA and DP World Tours. On Tuesday, there were surprise reports that he was about to take up the final spot on Rahm's four-man Legion XIII team. He would join England's Tyrrell Hatton and American Caleb Surratt on the side. 

Spanish outlet Ten Golf broke the news while BBC NI later reported that McKibbin was about to ink a multi-year deal.

McKibbin is part of the 10-man Great Britain and Ireland team which faces a Continental Europe side over three days starting on Friday. The two teams will be captained by Justin Rose and Francesco Molinari while Team Europe Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald selected those involved.

"I'm not going to make any comment this week"

Tom McKibbin addresses the reports that he has signed a deal with LIV Golf and Jon Rahm's Legion XIII team ahead of this week's Team Cup in Abu Dhabi on the DP World Tour

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"I'm not going to make any comments this week out of respect for Justin [Rose] and Luke [Donald] and this tournament," McKibbin told Golf Digest Middle East.

"It's a team event so I'm just trying to give my best to the team and see how many points I can get."

McKibbin added that being part of the Ryder Cup in the future is one of his ambitions. Playing golf on the LIV Tour could hinder him achieving that goal.

"It was a goal of mine at the start of last year to be part of this event," he said about the Team Cup.

"I haven't played any team golf as a pro. I played a little bit as an amateur so really excited to be part of a team and looking forward to the week."

McKibbin earned his PGA Tour spot by finishing in the top 10 players with card in the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai.