McIlroy, 35, made his feelings be known ahead of this week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links at a time when he just discovered Trump, 78, became the next President of the United States
Trump will assume office for the second time in his career on 20 January 2025.
A proposed deal between the PGA Tour, DP World Tour and Saudi PIF was first announced in June 2023, but some 18 months later the merger is still yet to be completed.
Rory McIlroy tells reporter: “First I’ve heard of it”
McIlroy was pressed by a reporter in Abu Dhabi as to what he made of Trump’s comments earlier this week about the PGA Tour’s deal with Saudi PIF.
Trump claimed on a podcast that he would be able to sort out the PGA Tour’s deal with Saudi Arabia in ’15 minutes’.
McIlroy doesn’t believe that’s out of the question, especially given Trump’s association with Saudi Arabia.
The World No.3 also thinks one of the world’s richest and most successful businessman Musk, 53, will also be able to help get the deal over the line.
He labels Musk ‘the smartest man in the world beside Trump’.
McIlroy told reports at Yas Links:
“He [Trump] might be able to. He’s got Elon Musk, who I think is the smartest man in the world, beside him. We might be able to do something if we can get Musk involved, too. Yeah, I think from the outside looking in, it’s probably a little less complicated than it actually is.
“But obviously Trump has great relationship with Saudi Arabia. He’s got a great relationship with golf. He’s a lover of golf. So, maybe. Who knows? But I think as the President of the United States again, he’s probably got bigger things to focus on than golf.”
McIlroy lines up in Abu Dhabi this week for the first leg of the DP World Tour Playoffs.
He holds a commanding 1,500-point lead at the top of the DP World Tour Rankings as he goes in search of a sixth Harry Vardon trophy in the Race to Dubai.
Should McIlroy record a third straight Race to Dubai and sixth order of merit title overall, he will match the feat of late great Seve Ballesteros.
Colin Montgomerie holds the record for eight order of merits on the European Tour.
That’s a record McIlroy wants, too.
McIlroy told reporters:
“I think I’m focussed on one year at a time. The last couple years I’ve recommitted to trying to win the Race to Dubai. I probably didn’t play enough on the DP World Tour for a few years to really give myself a chance, but I’ve really tried to recommit to making it something that’s important to me.
“It has, to win the last two years, and going for my third in a row, trying to go for six overall, it’s a pretty meaningful thing to do. You know, obviously trying to get to Monty’s number of eight, or maybe surpass, is definitely a goal in the future. But I think right now, just have focus on trying to get that sixth one and go from here.
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