Rory McIlroy skips Donald Trump’s Cadillac Championship after Masters win
Rory McIlroy has opted to skip the Cadillac Championship at Donald Trump’s Doral course in Florida, turning down the chance to compete for a £2.7m top prize following his consecutive Masters victory.
The PGA Tour Signature Event will be held at the Miami venue owned by the US president, who had publicly expressed his desire for the Northern Irishman to play.
Earlier this month, McIlroy made history by becoming only the fourth golfer to win back-to-back titles at Augusta National.
The 36-year-old successfully retained his green jacket to claim a £3.3m winner’s cheque before taking a planned break from the sport.
Trump’s public invitation declined
President Trump had previously used his Truth Social platform to congratulate the defending champion on his recent major success.
“He performed tremendously under intense pressure, something which few people would be able to even think about doing,” Trump wrote.
“With each year, Rory is becoming more and more a LEGEND! I look forward to watching him compete in two weeks at Doral.”
Despite the high-profile endorsement, the European Ryder Cup star will not be present at the Florida venue.
Trump currently owns 16 golf venues worldwide, with another five soon to be added to his expanding sporting portfolio.
Prioritising the major championships
The Cadillac Championship boasts a total purse of £15m, but the reigning Masters champion is currently prioritising rest over financial reward.
This marks the second Signature Event McIlroy has missed in quick succession, having also bypassed the recent RBC Heritage.
Under revised PGA Tour regulations, players no longer face financial sanctions for skipping these designated elite tournaments.
Speaking recently about his schedule management, the prominent golfer explained his desire to prolong his career and emulate veterans like Justin Rose.
“I would like to think if I do the right things, pace myself and play the schedule that suits, not playing a ton of golf to stop me being burnt out every year, that I can get to that point as well,” McIlroy stated.
He added that pacing his schedule would allow him to focus his remaining prime years on capturing further major titles.
“If I have 10 years left and I really want to prioritise the majors then the other tournaments are great to play in, you want to… [but] it’s a little bit more relaxed.”
