Rory McIlroy has revealed that he played golf with Donald Trump before his inauguration and claimed the US president is “on the PGA Tour’s side” when it comes to golf’s civil war.
In a wide-ranging press conference ahead of the Genesis Invitational, McIlroy said he learned that Trump is not a fan of LIV Golf’s 54-hole format, which includes team and individual elements and a shotgun start.
McIlroy, who initially played golf with Trump in February 2017, said in 2020 that he would not do so again – and doubted he would even be invited – after questioning Trump’s leadership during the coronavirus pandemic.
PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan and player director Adam Scott met with Trump last week as efforts continue to strike a deal between the US-based circuit, the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), which bankrolls LIV Golf.
"I learned that [Trump's] not a fan of the LIV format... So I think he's on the Tour's side."
Rory McIlroy discusses his recent round of golf with President Trump and how he can help unify the men's professional game. pic.twitter.com/L0M8Se5KrQ
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) February 12, 2025
Talks have been ongoing since the signing of a framework agreement in June 2023.
Asked about that meeting and what Trump could achieve, McIlroy made reference to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the PIF.
“So the president, he can do a lot of things,” McIlroy said. “He has direct access to Yasir’s boss [Mohammed bin Salman]. Not many people have that.
“Not many people can say, I want you to get this deal done and by the way, I’m speaking to your boss, I’m going to tell him the same thing.
“He [Trump] can be influential. I saw it when I was playing with Sheikh Hamdan of Abu Dhabi the day when
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