Rory McIlroy confirmed he will attend Donald Trump's dinner invitation despite a disappointing day at the Irish Open, where his hopes of a third title were dashed within the opening six holes.
The Northern Irishman, ranked World Number Two, carded a 72 to sit at 4-over after three rounds at Doonbeg, effectively ending his challenge for a third Irish Open crown following victories at the K Club in 2016 and 2025.
Early setbacks
A pair of double-bogeys before completing a third of his round derailed McIlroy's pursuit. An errant tee shot on the driveable par-4 third led to a lost ball and double-bogey, with McIlroy obliged to search for his wayward ball as President Trump's Air Force One soared overhead.
McIlroy adopted an ultra-aggressive approach from the outset to try to reel in leader Shane Lowry, who began the day with a commanding nine-stroke advantage. The strategy backfired on a windswept afternoon.
McIlroy's admission
"Two doubles in the first six holes wasn't the way I wanted to start," admitted a disappointed McIlroy, who confirmed he would be attending dinner with Trump at Doonbeg on Saturday night.
"A couple of wayward drives, took a chance on three, trying to hit driver there and get it close to the green, and I hit it out of bounds or it was a lost ball, either or. Same thing on six, trying to get it up close to the green, had to take an unplayable and made another double bogey there. So no momentum early, and then it was a tough enough day. Obviously the wind was up and stuff, and yeah, I just couldn't quite get it back after."
Putting woes continue
McIlroy had been in superb form from the tee boxes and fairways until Saturday, but tricky slopes on the greens proved problematic, with short putts on 15 and 16 slipping past the hole in round three.
"More of the same. I didn't give myself as many chances as I did yesterday, but the chances that I did give myself, it was the same thing. Feel like I'm hitting good putts. They're just either misreads or just burning the edges."
Air Force One arrival
The six-time major winner confessed that watching Trump's elaborate arrival during the third round marked a first for him.
"I guess not the experience we're used to in a way. I think it's Air Force One's maiden voyage, that was pretty cool. Cool to sort of see all that going on. I was trying to avoid making doubles at that point, so I was trying to concentrate on my own stuff as well."
He dismissed using the commotion as an excuse for his lost ball on three. "I don't see what a plane at 10,000 feet has got to do with looking at a ball in the golf on the ground," he responded when questioned whether it hampered his search for the ball.
McIlroy will be forced to take a back seat on Sunday as Lowry spearheads the Irish challenge.
