Rory McIlroy: I won’t play golf with Donald Trump again

World No 1 says US President is not acting the way a leader should

Rory McIlroy, left, with Donald Trump. Picture: Mike Ehrmann/Getty

Rory McIlroy says he wouldn’t play golf with Donald Trump again and doubts he would even be invited after questioning the US President’s leadership during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an interview on the McKellar Journal podcast, McIlroy was asked whether he regretted his round with Trump in 2017 because of criticism on social media.

“I haven’t done it since... out of choice,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy said he played with Trump out of respect for the office. He said he enjoyed his day at Trump International in Florida, adding that he was charismatic, personable and treated everyone well, from the golfers to the staff.

“So I will sit here and say that day I had with him I enjoyed,” McIlroy said. “But that doesn’t mean I agree with everything – or, in fact, anything – that he says.”

McIlroy continued, unprompted, by saying Trump has tried to politicise the pandemic, using as an example Trump claiming the US has administered the most tests.

“Like it’s a contest,” McIlroy said. “There’s some stuff that just is terrible. It’s not the way a leader should act. There is a bit of diplomacy that you need to show, and I just don’t think he’s showing that, especially in these times.”

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