Rory McIlroy on Trump's planned visit to the Irish Open

Rory McIlroy says US President Donald Trump's expected visit to the Irish Open this week poses logistical challenges and will change the atmosphere. A White House official said last month that Trump wanted to attend the tournament at his golf course in Doonbeg on the Atlantic coast in County Clare, Ireland. The facility is hosting the Irish Open for the first time. The BBC reported that Trump may present the winner's trophy on Sunday.

Trump's visit requires increased security measures, as was the case at the Cadillac Championship at his Trump National Doral near Miami earlier this year or at the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black near New York. "I think when the sitting president of the United States shows up somewhere, it automatically becomes a logistical challenge," McIlroy said. "Logistically, it's a challenge. But we're playing on one of his golf courses that he kindly made available for this tournament."

Doonbeg is a village; at the last count in 2022, the place in the west of the island had exactly 279 inhabitants. The nearest larger city is Limerick, around 80 kilometers away (over 60,000 inhabitants).

However, the Northern Irish golf superstar McIlroy also sees advantages in Trump's presence: "His presence at the Irish Open makes the tournament a truly international event. This brings the Irish Open more attention and more spectator interest. That can only be a good thing."

Regardless, McIlroy expects the mood on the pitch to change. “I don’t know what protocol will be in place on Saturday when the president arrives,” he said. "Sure, it's a little disruptive while playing. Absolutely. But these procedures and rules are there for a reason. All we can do is follow them. And once we're allowed to play again, we'll just focus on our golf."

McIlroy's son and Trump's grandson attend the same school

McIlroy also confirmed that he was involved in bringing the Irish Open to Trump International Doonbeg. The Northern Irishman lives in Florida part of the year and knows Trump's son Eric - their children attend the same school.

Trump took over the golf course out of bankruptcy in 2014. The square was only opened in 2002 and a luxury hotel was added in 2006. It is the second tournament of the DP World Tour on a Trump facility within a few weeks. Last month the Nexo Championship was held at its golf course in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The PGA Tour also held a signature event at Trump's facility near Miami this year, while the LIV Golf League hosted a tournament at Trump National in New Jersey. The only professional tournament at one of his courses that Trump did not personally attend this year was the one in Aberdeen.