U.S. President Donald Trump praised the return of live golf on Sunday, dialing into a televised broadcast of a two-on-two charity skins match between top players on the PGA Tour, the first event of its kind since the coronavirus lockdown.

World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, who is from Northern Ireland, teamed up with Dustin Johnson of the United States to take on American duo Rickie Fowler and Matthew Wolff for the highly anticipated event, which is one of the few live pro sports competitions.

The 31-year-old McIlroy won the closest to the pin challenge on a playoff hole to give himself and teammate Johnson an 11-7 win over Fowler and Wolff.

Overall, the event raised more than 5.5 million U.S. dollars for charity.

"It's a wonderful thing to see," Trump said on the NBC Sports broadcast. "I'm getting a little tired of watching 10-year-old golf tournaments where you know who won."

An avid golfer, Trump has played rounds with current and former players including Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and four-time major winner McIlroy, who last week criticized the president's response to the coronavirus outbreak.

"We want to get sports back, we miss sports, we need sports in terms of the psyche, the psyche of our country and that's what we're going," said Trump.

Players at the Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Florida, adhered to social-distancing guidelines aimed at limiting the coronavirus spread, standing 1.8 meters apart and carrying their own clubs, with no caddies allowed, on an empty course without the usual masses of eager fans.

The Taylor Made Driving Relief is a forerunner to the PGA's scheduled official return in June with a tournament in Texas that will take place without spectators.

Three other spectator-less tournaments will be held in which the players will be forced to undergo COVID-19 testing and temperature screenings.

(With input from agencies)