Rory McIlroy makes up his mind on playing at | Golf News

Rory McIlroy has said that he would not have any points taking part in next 12 months’s Irish Open if it’s hosted at one of Donald Trump‘s golf programs. The Masters champion is at present competing in his home open this week, beginning with a one-under-par spherical at The Okay Club close to Dublin on Thursday.

There are rumors that next 12 months’s match will probably be held at Trump International Doonbeg on Ireland’s west coast. Trump’s controversial politics have affected his portfolio of programs’ means to host world-class tournaments since he first took workplace in 2017.

Organizers fear that the president’s involvement will detract from the occasions. Turnberry, the crown jewel in Trump’s assortment of programs, hasn’t hosted The Open Championship since he bought it for $60 million in 2014. However, it appears that the stance of golf’s energy brokers is starting to soften. Trump International Aberdeen hosted a DP World Tour event last month, and the President’s Doral resort will maintain a PGA Tour match in 2026.

A singular four-on-four made-for-TV match involving McIlroy and world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will happen at Trump International Jupiter in December.

In his pre-tournament press convention on Wednesday, McIlroy clarified that he would have no drawback taking part if the DP World Tour decides to take the Irish Open to Doonbeg. “I’ve never played Doonbeg,” McIlroy said.

“I might have gone there for dinner once while I was down playing Lahinch at some point. But no, I mean, I’ve obviously heard the rumors. I’m not sure if it’s confirmed or not, or when the schedule comes out, but if it were to go there, I’d have no problem.

“You know, the Scottish Championship was performed at a Trump property close to Aberdeen there a few weeks in the past and appeared prefer it was a great event.

“We’re going back to Doral next year on the PGA Tour. So if it’s back on a links course, I’m not sure how Doonbeg stacks up in terms of other links courses in the country, but I’d be absolutely happy to go there and play.”

McIlroy was positioned to secure a spot among the early pacesetters following an spectacular opening on Thursday, but consecutive bogeys late in his spherical induced him to plummet down the rankings.

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“I felt like I played better than what the score reflects,” the Northern Irishman maintained. “Felt like I hit the ball well, drove the ball well; you know, just had that disappointing finish, bogeying two of the last three holes.

“But really fairly inspired how I performed. Just did not rating as effectively as I wished to. The sport feels fairly good. Off the tee was good.

“It was sort of a continuation of what I saw at East Lake a couple of weeks ago. Just a matter of being more efficient with the scoring.”