RORY McIlroy has criticised US President Donald Trump over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, saying "it’s not the way a leader should act".
The Co Down-born golfer accused Mr Trump of "trying to politicise" the crisis.
He also ruled out playing golf with again, adding: "I don’t know if he’d want to play with me again after what I just said."
Appearing on the McKellar Podcast, the world's number one golfer said: "We’re in the midst of something that’s pretty serious right now.
"And the fact that he’s trying to politicise it and make it a campaign rally, saying that the US administers the most tests in the world like it’s a contest.
"It’s just not the way a leader should act and there is a bit of diplomacy that you need to show and I just don’t think he’s shown that, especially in these times."
In 2017, McIlroy was criticised for playing a round of golf with Mr Trump at the president's International Golf Club in Florida.
Asked about that day, he said: "Guilt by association... I haven’t done it since".
The 31-year-old indicated he had been invited to play with the president again, but had declined the offer "out of choice".
"I’ll sit here and say the day that I did spend with him and others was very enjoyable," he said.
"He’s very charismatic, he was nice to everyone - it didn’t matter whether you were me or guys in the cart barn or the pro at the golf club.
"He has something. He obviously has something or he wouldn’t be in the White House, right?
"He has something - whatever it is, an X factor, charisma, whatever. Most people that he came across that day he was cordial to, he was nice and personable.
"That was my only interaction with him the day I had with him.
"But that doesn’t mean that I agree with everything - or in fact anything - that he says."
Asked if he would play golf with the American president again in the future, McIlroy said: "I don’t know if he’d want to play with me again after what I just said.
"I know it’s very self-serving of me to say 'no' and if I don’t, then it means then I’m not putting myself in position to be put under scrutiny and that I’m avoiding that.
"But I probably wouldn’t, no."
