Wednesday 1 March 2017 15:41, UK
Rory McIlroy admitted he was surprised at the criticism he received for his round with Donald Trump, but stands by his decision to play golf with the US President.
McIlroy was criticised on social media earlier this month for accepting Trump's invitation to play 18 holes at the Trump International Golf Club in Florida.
Last week, the world no 3 issued a statement to defend his round with Trump, with McIlroy expanding on his comments after further questioning ahead of this week's World Golf Championship in Mexico.
"I was just doing what I felt was respectful," McIlroy said. "When the President of the United States phones you up and wants to play golf with you, I wasn't going to say no!
"I don't agree with everything that he says, but it is what it is. I'm not an American and I can't change the way the political system is there.
"I was a little bit taken aback by the blow-back I received, but I get why. I get the divisive rhetoric and everything that was said. It's a tough place to be in and a tough position.
"I can't vote and, as I said in Doral last year, even if I could vote I don't think I would. I would've voted for an independent or someone else."
The 45th President of the United States owns several courses around the world, including Trump National Doral Miami - the venue replaced by Club de Golf Chapultepec for this week's tournament.
"It's not as if we were speaking foreign policy out there!" McIlroy added. "We were talking about golf, the grass on the greens and the grass he's putting on the greens at Doral.
"Putting anyone's beliefs or politics to one side, to go there and see 30 secret service and 30 cops and snipers in the trees, it was just a surreal experience for me to see something like that.
"We talked golf the entire day and I think he was happier to talk about golf than to talk about anything else he has to do these days!"
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