Four-time Major winning Rory McIlroy vowed he wouldn’t vote for any of the US Presidential candidates ahead of teeing-up in this week’s WGC – Cadillac Championship.
Golf and politics meet head-on at this week’s $US 10m event being staged on Trump National Doral in suburban Miami.
There’s already been spotted a number of black SUV U.S. Secret Service vehicles about the course known affectionately as the ‘Blue Monster’ while the general security has been beefed-up ahead of Trump’s appearance here on Sunday.
McIlroy got to meet Trump close-up a year ago when Trump returned to the former World No. 1 the 3-iron the Northern Irishman had hurled into water at the eighth hole on the second day of the event.
Donald Trump meets with Rory McIlroy a year ago to hand back the 3-iron McIlroy hurled into the ‘Blue Monster’.
Trump, and knowing the PR value of the club, had it mounted some months later where it remains on display in the Golf Shop at Trump Doral.
McIlroy found himself drawn into the campaign when a local news reporter likened Trump to a ‘500 lb gorillia’ and what the 27-year old thought of an array of Trump controversial remarks and whether or not they could be a distraction this week.
Of course, McIlroy was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland but then he does have ties to the U.S. He owns a home in Florida, and his fiancee, Erica Stoll, is American. He also spends a great deal of time on American turf during the PGA Tour swing, but then he pays attention to the country’s political situation.
“I’m not American,” he said smiling.
“I mean, he’s (Trump) is not going to be the leader of my country. So it doesn’t bother me too much.
“I’ve been following the presidential debates, and while I am not saying that the political system in Northern Ireland is too strong at the moment either.
“So it is, it’s shocking. But look, I can’t vote, and if I were to vote, I’m not sure I would want to vote for any of the candidates.”
There is strong talk the Federation of Tour’s that run the WGC events will be stripping Trump of the event from next year given Trump’s controversial ‘Mexican’ related remarks.
Former US President Bill Clinton seen here in Ireland playing golf with Rory McIlroy.
However, McIlroy says it would be a ‘good thing’ if the PGA Tour, in particular, kept a relationship with Trump should he be elected the 45th President of the USA.
“If Donald Trump is elected President I think it would be a ‘good thing’ for the PGA Tour to keep some sort of relationship with him,” said McIlroy.
“It would also feel funny not to be coming back here as I have been coming here to Doral since I was eight years old and professionally, since 2009 and it’s also nice and handy to where I live as I drove down this morning as it’s only just over an hour from my home.”
McIlroy is no stranger rubbing shoulders with the most powerful men on the planet having played golf with current US President Barak Obama and also former leader, Bill Clinton.
He’s also shaken hands with George Bush during a Shell Houston Open plus played the Pro-Am at Houston in the company of Senator James Baker, the former Secretary of State in Bush Senior’s administration.
