Top Golfer Says Trump Hates What?

Professional golfer Rory McIlroy recently shared an interesting encounter with former President Donald Trump on the golf course. McIlroy revealed that during a friendly round before Trump’s inauguration in January, the two discussed the controversial LIV Golf league. Trump expressed his clear preference for the PGA Tour over LIV, even though his golf properties have hosted LIV events.

“I learned that he’s not a fan of the LIV format,” McIlroy explained to reporters at the Genesis Invitational. “I was surprised because he’s hosted their events. But he said, ‘Yeah, but that doesn’t mean I like it.’ It seems he’s firmly on the side of the PGA Tour.”

LIV Golf, founded in 2021, emerged as a new, alternative professional golf league. It quickly became a point of contention within the sport due to its ties to the Saudi Arabian government’s public investment fund, which bankrolls LIV events. The league has drawn mixed reactions from players, fans, and pundits, with some supporting its higher payouts and unique format, while others criticize its association with a regime known for human rights violations.

Despite his reservations about LIV, President Trump’s golf course, Trump National Doral in Miami, hosted the league’s inaugural event in 2022. The Doral resort will again serve as a venue for LIV’s Miami event in 2025, set to take place from April 4-6, just a week before the prestigious Masters Tournament.

The LIV-PGA rivalry has sparked fierce debates across the golfing world, with PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan taking a strong stance against LIV. While LIV players are allowed to compete in the European-based DP World Tour, Monahan has banned PGA Tour members from participating in LIV events, intensifying the divide. The debate surrounding these two golf tours continues to play out in both boardrooms and on the course.