President Donald Trump Played Golf With Rory McIlroy Before AT&T Pro Am Win: ‘I Love Rory’

President Donald Trump participated in a bilateral meeting with the Taoiseach of Ireland, Micheál Martin, on Wednesday, and admitted to playing golf with Rory McIlroy one week before his 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am win. The unexpected revelation, shared during the Q&A session, adds an intriguing twist to McIlroy’s win and highlights the ongoing connection between Trump and the world of professional golf.

POTUS: “I love @McIlroyRory… He’s a great golfer. he just won two weeks ago. He’s a great guy. I played golf with him three weeks ago and he’s really a fantastic player.” pic.twitter.com/r1gHSgIPpp

— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 12, 2025

President Trump Remains Embedded in the Golf World

Despite returning to the White House for his second term, President Trump’s presence in the golf world remains undeniable. Known for his luxurious golf courses and long history with the game, Trump continues to influence the sport in various ways. 

While the meeting with Taoiseach Martin was meant to focus on strengthening ties between the U.S. and Ireland, Trump’s mention of McIlroy added a personal touch to the conversation and his strong relationship with one of the country’s biggest stars.

Did Playing With Trump Help Propel Rory McIlroy to Victory?

McIlroy’s victory at the 2025 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am was a statement performance, reaffirming his place among golf’s elite. It was his 27th win on the Tour and his first since the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship. 

With the victory fresh in the minds of fans, the timing of McIlroy’s round with President Trump raised questions about the influence of that pre-tournament encounter. Trump noted that McIlroy was in “great form” when they played together, which could have been a sign of things to come.

McIlroy had previously made headlines in 2020 when he publicly stated that he wouldn’t play golf with Trump again. He was critical of Trump’s politics and policies surrounding COVID-19, which temporarily damaged their relationship. But fast forward to 2025, and McIlroy’s tone has shifted significantly. 

When asked about their recent round a few weeks ago, McIlroy responded, “I played golf with him. It was great. Yeah, it was really good. I thought we had a good discussion.”

He went on to mention an interesting tidbit from their conversation about LIV Golf. 

“I learnt that he’s not a fan of the LIV format,” McIlroy said. “I was like, ‘But you’ve hosted their events.’ He was like, ‘Yeah, but it doesn’t mean that I like it.’” 

It seems the two were able to discuss their differing views in a constructive way, which may have had an impact on McIlroy’s mindset heading into the tournament.

Can Trump Help Get A Deal Done With PGA Tour & LIV Golf?

For now, it seems like McIlroy seems hopeful that the President can help make golf great again after the sport saw several of its top players split between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. 

McIlroy acknowledged Trump’s influence, saying, “The President, he can do a lot of things. … He has direct access to Yasir’s boss,” referring to Yasir Al-Rumayyan, the governor of the Public Investment Fund (PIF) that’s connected to LIV Golf. “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.’ There’s a few things that he can do. He can be influential.”

Even though their relationship has evolved over time, McIlroy’s respect for Trump’s influence on the sport remains clear.