Rory McIlroy Shares What He Really Thinks About Donald Trump’s Planned Trip to Irish Open
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Credit: Ross Kinnaird/Getty; Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- Rory McIlroy is speaking out about President Donald Trump’s scheduled visit at the Irish Open
- The six-time majors champ said the president’s possible presence is “a logistical challenge”
- McIlroy was the subject of criticism after he played a round of golf with Trump in 2017
Rory McIlroy is opening up about the challenges in welcoming President Donald Trump to the Irish Open.
The two-time Masters champ called the president’s possible visit this weekend “a logistical challenge,” when discussing the tournament with reporters on Wednesday, Sept. 9.
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“I don’t know what the protocol will be on Saturday when the president arrives,” McIlroy, 37, said. “Look, is it a little disruptive to play? Absolutely. But again, there’s protocols in place for a reason, and all we can do is follow them and abide by them, and whenever we’re ready to play again, we put our heads down and we go and play.”
The tournament will take place at Trump International Golf Links Ireland in Doonbeg, which is located in County Clare on the Atlantic coast of Ireland. It will mark the first time that the course will host the event, according to the Associated Press.
“I think when the sitting president of the United States of America visits anywhere, it becomes a logistical challenge,” McIlroy said. “There’s a lot that goes into it.”
Rory McIlroy and Donald Trump in 2016.Credit: Mike Ehrmann/Getty
Last month, a White House official told the AP that Trump, 80, would travel to Ireland on Sept. 12 and 13 for an event with U.S. embassy workers and other officials before the tournament.
“His presence at the Irish Open makes it a truly international event,” McIlroy said. “That brings more attention and eyeballs to the Irish Open, and it can only be a good thing.”
McIlroy and the president’s paths have crossed in the past, at least on one occasion.
After the two played a full round in February 2017 at the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Fla., McIlroy was slammed on social media.
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Two months later, he told reporters that he would have to “think twice” about ever playing with the president again.
In 2020, the golfer shared on the McKellar Golf podcast that he felt “guilt by association” after being criticized for playing with Trump, and he hasn’t “done it since.”
However, he noted that the day with him and others was “very enjoyable,” stating that Trump was “nice to everyone” on the course.
Read the original article on People