Rory McIlroy has given an update on his marriage, one year after he filed for divorce from wife Erica Stoll, citing an irretrievably broken marriage as the reason for the split
Rory McIlroy and his wife Erica Stoll appear to have made significant progress in their relationship over the past year. The couple hit headlines in May 2024 when McIlroy filed for divorce after seven years, citing an irretrievably broken marriage as the reason for the split.
Shortly after news of the divorce broke, McIlroy was seen without his wedding ring while playing at the 2024 PGA Championship in Louisville. “Rory McIlroy’s communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed,” a spokeswoman for McIlroy told the Irish Star that same month. “They stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible. He will not be making any further comment.”
Rory filed for divorce from Erica last year, before doing a U-turn a month later ( Image: Getty Images)
While the news shocked the golf community, it wasn’t a total surprise to everyone. “A point of contention in Rory’s marriage with Erica was that Erica was lonely in their marriage,” a source told Us in May 2024, claiming, “Rory was a hard person to be married to.”
The insider said that for Stoll, the birth of her and McIlroy’s daughter, Poppy, in August 2020, shifted her priorities.
“She knew what she was getting into with his profession, but once they had Poppy, things really changed and she had a new perspective,” the source said, noting that Stoll no longer wanted to be constantly on the road. “Erica was usually absent for most of his tournaments and was really focused on Poppy.”
However, just one month after filing for divorce, McIlroy confirmed that he and Stoll would remain together. He expressed at the time: “There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool’s game.
“Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
Now, nearly a year after the initial shock, McIlroy has opened up about his personal struggles on Netflix’s ‘Full Swing’. On the show, he confesses: “I’ve struggled with trying to be the best golfer, the best husband, the best dad.”
He also gave an update on their marriage now, saying: “There’s parts of my life I like to keep as private as possible. Unfortunately, in this line of work, that isn’t always possible. I have always been protective of my loved ones from people who have ill intentions,” he continued.
And keeping things private seems to be the name of the game for McIlroy, who hasn’t shared any photos of his wife on Instagram since November 2024.
The couple are parents to daughter Poppy ( Image: Getty Images)
Stoll first met McIlroy in 2012 during the Ryder Cup, where she was working as a PGA transport official. After McIlroy overslept due to a time zone mix-up and nearly missed his tee time, Stoll arranged for a police escort to get him to the course in Medinah, Illinois.
McIlroy later recalled their first meeting during an interview on the Golf Channel.
“Erica that week was always the one checking us in and out. She was in charge of transportation, so she was always in the car park. It’s still cool to think back on that week, and everything that’s happened since. It’s pretty amazing,” he said.
Since then, Stoll has supported McIlroy at various Ryder Cups, including those in 2016 in Chaska, Minnesota; 2018 in Paris; 2021 in Kohler, Wisconsin; and 2023 in Rome.
The two became friends after meeting, but their relationship didn’t turn romantic until 2014, after McIlroy had ended his engagement to tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. The two had gotten engaged on New Year’s Eve 2013, but broke up just a few months later.
Stoll and McIlroy officially began dating in late 2014, though they kept their relationship mostly private in the early days. In May 2015, McIlroy shared with The Times that he was happy in his personal life.
“I am very happy in my love life. We haven’t been public about it. She’s from America, which is why I like spending time in Palm Beach… The last six or seven months have been really nice,” McIlroy said at the time.
McIlroy had planned to propose to Stoll in Paris, but the 2015 terrorist attacks in the city made him reconsider. However, he ultimately decided to go through with the proposal.
The couple were friends before things turned romantic ( Image: Getty Images)
Rory admitted he’s struggled to be “the best husband and dad” ( Image: Getty Images)
“We felt comfortable, and I thought it might make the trip even better. We went out for dinner, and that was that. It was a nice trip and a perfect way to end the year,” McIlroy recalled.
On April 22, 2017, Stoll and McIlroy tied the knot in a lavish ceremony at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland. The wedding had tight security and was attended by several A-list celebrities, including Stevie Wonder and actor Jamie Dornan.
Stoll tends to keep her personal life private, maintaining a private Instagram account. McIlroy spoke about her desire to stay out of the spotlight in an interview with The Irish Independent shortly after their engagement.
“Erica has been around me at tournaments, but we’ve really tried to keep it low-key. She’s a very low-key person, not one to broadcast things. But everything in that part of my life is going great, and we’re really excited,” McIlroy said.
Despite the media attention surrounding their 2017 wedding, Stoll and McIlroy kept the details mostly private. Professional golfer Shane Lowry commented on the couple’s approach to privacy.
“He’s one of the world’s best golfers, a huge celebrity in Ireland, but Erica keeps to herself. She’s not into being out there at all, and I think that’s how they wanted their wedding to be,” Lowry said.
Stoll and McIlroy also managed to keep their pregnancy news private for months. McIlroy didn’t confirm they were expecting until Stoll was already in her third trimester.
“We’re about to be parents, and we’re really excited. We’ve shared the news with friends and family, but I didn’t feel the need to share it publicly. It’s a private matter, but we’re thrilled,” McIlroy said during a post-round interview on NBC.
Stoll gave birth to their daughter, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, on August 31, 2020, in Jupiter, Florida. McIlroy shared the news on Instagram with a black-and-white photo of Poppy holding his pinky finger, writing, “She is the absolute love of our lives. Mother and baby are doing great. Massive thank you to all the staff at Jupiter Medical Centre and Dr. Sasha Melendy for their amazing care.”
In February 2023, the Netflix docuseries Full Swing, starring McIlroy, premiered. McIlroy agreed to participate under specific conditions, ensuring that production didn’t intrude on his private life.
“I made sure the parameters were clear. You can film me at tournaments, but you’re not coming to my house, my car, or anywhere near my family,” he said in an interview with the Golf Channel.