Rory McIlroy skips PGA Tour event to attend White House state dinner
Rory McIlroy has explained his decision to skip the Cadillac Championship in order to attend a White House state dinner hosted by US President Donald Trump.
The Northern Irishman is currently preparing for this week’s PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania.
He is aiming to secure his seventh major title, which would establish him as the outright most successful European golfer of the modern era.
The 37-year-old enters the prestigious tournament in remarkable form after clinching back-to-back Masters titles at Augusta last month.
Embracing the perks of success
The reigning Masters champion chose to miss the tour event at Trump Doral following an exclusive diplomatic invitation.
He joined dignitaries at the White House for a state dinner marking the official visit of King Charles to the United States.
“I know how fortunate I am and so lucky to be in this position in life and sometimes you have to enjoy the perks because I know that this isn’t going to last forever,” he explained.
“There’s going to be a day where I’m not sitting up here and I’m not competing for major championships and I’m not doing what I’m doing. So I guess while I’m doing it, I have to enjoy it.”
Chasing European golfing history
A victory in south-west Philadelphia would see the world-class golfer permanently surpass Sir Nick Faldo’s modern major record.
He currently shares the milestone with the English great, sitting just behind Jersey-born Harry Vardon who claimed seven titles before the Masters or PGA Championship existed.
The Aronimink contender holds a formidable record at this specific major after triumphing in both the 2012 and 2014 editions.
He also retains the record for the largest winning margin in PGA Championship history following an eight-shot demolition of the field.
Renewed motivation for major glory
After conquering Augusta National once again, the European star admitted to briefly struggling with his competitive drive.
“I need to take the time after the Masters to reset and decompress and get myself in the right mental space again to get myself up for this tournament,” he noted.
The history-chasing athlete recently made a cameo appearance in the Devil Wears Prada 2 movie, demonstrating his desire to embrace unique lifestyle opportunities outside the sport.
“I was tentatively planning to play Doral and then I got invited to that White House state dinner the night before on a Tuesday night, which I thought was a wonderful opportunity,” he revealed.
By taking the week away from competition to practice, the defending Masters champion believes he is perfectly prepared to tackle the Aronimink course.