Crowds limited, security tightened, a sitting president handing out the trophy – Rory McIlroy‘s first Irish Open at Doonbeg won’t look like a typical tour stop. President Donald Trump is expected to attend his Trump International Golf Links & Hotel as part of a two-day visit to Ireland while the tournament runs September 10-13, and McIlroy, who has played golf with him before, isn’t pretending it will feel normal.
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“It’s going to be different, but the one thing I’d say is his golf resorts have hosted PGA Tour events, European Tour events, LIV events,” McIlroy told the BBC. “He’s a big fan of golf, he’s a wonderful supporter of golf. He’s got a beautiful property here in Doonbeg – it’s the first time I’ve played it.”
Rory McIlroy doesn’t seem to mind the added security that comes with a presidential visit.
“I think the weekend, especially when he’s here [will feel different], crowds will be limited,” McIlroy added. “Obviously, there’s a lot that goes on. So, logistically, it provides some challenges, absolutely. But at the same time, if he wants to come and watch the Irish Open, who are we to say no?”
The Northern Irishman’s favorable view of Trump is understandable, especially since POTUS praised McIlroy after he defended his Masters title earlier this year. But Trump isn’t visiting his property, which he purchased in 2014 for an estimated €15 million, just for the tournament. He is reportedly set to meet Irish President Catherine Connolly, and he will also hold a bilateral meeting with Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin.
Trump, of course, is a longtime golf fan and owns a sprawling portfolio of golf courses around the world. He also competes in club-level tournaments himself, although some of his victories at those events have been questioned by fans. Regardless, McIlroy will have plenty to contend with when the event gets underway, including the likes of Patrick Reed, Jon Rahm, Brooks Koepka, and several other stars.
With just one win to his name this year, McIlroy will be looking to accomplish far more than simply impressing Trump. In the meantime, he also commented on the uncertainty LIV Golf is currently facing.
McIlroy first played with Trump back in 2017 and got hammered for it online, so he put out a statement saying it was about respecting the office, not the man. He didn’t do it again for years. In 2020 he told reporters he’d stopped by choice, unhappy with how Trump handled the pandemic. Then this April, the morning after his second Masters win, they were back out on the course together. Trump’s golf business has had its own ups and downs with the tours. Doral hosted the PGA Tour for over fifty years until Trump bought it and eventually lost the event; Bedminster was set to host the 2022 PGA Championship before that got pulled too. LIV Golf filled the gap after that, and his courses have now hosted six tournaments this year, this week’s Irish Open being the latest.
Rory McIlroy says, “I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes”
With Rahm and other LIV Golf players’ participation, the McIlroy was asked about the league’s future.
“It’s a hard one – I wouldn’t want to be in their shoes at the minute, and I think just the headspace that it’s taken up with the guys, fighting for money or the contracts or where they’re going to be playing over the next few years,” said McIlroy.
LIV, of course, saw its massive funding from Saudi Arabia’s PIF pulled in April, and has since been looking for new investors, having even had to cancel its season-ending team championship event. Although the breakaway tour claims to have found new investors, its future remains uncertain.
“It’s more like the uncertainty for them, and it would be nice, I think, for everyone just to have a bit of certainty around the game and know what’s going on and where certain players are going to be playing.
McIlroy himself was once reportedly offered a large sum to move to the rebel league. However, the six-time major winner declined the offer while maintaining his support for the PGA Tour.
“I’m obviously glad that I’m not really a part of that, and I know what I’m going to be doing the next few years, but for everyone involved, it would be nice to have certainty and just sort of move forward.”
With multiple lawsuits, the threat of bankruptcy, and its roster potentially thinning out, only time will tell what the future holds for LIV Golf. For now, Rory McIlroy appears eager to play golf in Donald Trump’s presence.