I would think twice about playing golf with President Trump again, admits Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy would “think twice” about playing another round with US President Donald Trump after the backlash he received from a February round at Trump International in Florida.

Four-time major winner McIlroy, trying to complete a career grand slam by winning the Masters, said he felt at the time that turning down Trump’s invitation would have been a worse option.

“I felt I would have been making more of a statement if I had turned it down,” McIlroy said. “It’s not a tough place to be put in, but it was a round of golf and nothing more.

“Would I do it again? After the sort of backlash I received, I’d think twice about it.”

McIlroy’s decision to play golf with Trump, whose statements about women have raised eyebrows, contrasted sharply with his own pro-women stand against members of Muirfield golf club in Scotland who disapprove of allowing women members.

Muirfield voted 80 per cent in favour of admitting women earlier this year, but McIlroy said it was “obscene” that some had voted against the motion, noting “I won’t be having many cups of tea with the members.”

But when asked on Tuesday at Augusta National how that was any different from playing a round with Trump after the US president’s comments about sexual assault and other controversies, McIlroy admitted, “It’s a difficult one.”