Facing questions over high-profile political visits and fan mania at the Irish Open, golf's most scrutinized superstar embraces pure pragmatism.
Whenever Rory McIlroy tees it up on Irish soil, the tournament ceases to be merely 72 holes of stroke play and transforms into a full-blown national summit.
This week's Irish Open arrived with an added dose of geopolitical intrigue following discussions around a potential visit from Donald Trump.
It was a telling piece of pragmatism from a player who has spent years caught in the crosshairs of global golf politics.
Facing questions over high-profile political visits and fan mania at the Irish Open, golf's most scrutinized superstar embraces pure pragmatism.