Rory McIlroy returns to the US Open after calling off his divorce

On Wednesday afternoon, Rory McIlroy was meticulously preparing for the US Open, practicing his iron shots over the undulating hills of Pinehurst’s practice ground. During this, Scottie Scheffler passed by, and the two golfers embraced. “Nice playing again, son. Very good!” McIlroy commended Scheffler, acknowledging the caddie, Ted Scott, who had recently helped guide Scheffler to his fifth victory of the season. As Scheffler moved on to sign autographs and practice putting, he called back to McIlroy, “See you tomorrow!”

This interaction raised some questions: What are they planning for Thursday? What further drama and chaos could they bring this week?

McIlroy and Scheffler are set to tee off together on Thursday afternoon, joining PGA champion Xander Schauffele in a highly anticipated group featuring the world’s top three golfers. These stars are accustomed to being the center of attention, especially in the context of the ongoing drama in the golfing world.

This tournament comes almost a year after the surprising merger announcement between the PGA Tour and the Saudi PIF. McIlroy has been at the forefront of golf’s internal conflict since then, while Scheffler has maintained an impressive streak of dominance over his competitors. Yet, these recent events seem mild compared to the recent whirlwind weeks involving these two players.

In April, Scheffler won his second Masters despite being preoccupied with the impending birth of his first child. Less than a month ago, news broke that McIlroy had filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, just before the PGA Championship.

By the end of that chaotic week, Scheffler found himself in legal trouble, ending up in a police car dressed in an orange jumpsuit and facing a felony charge. Despite this, he managed to return to Valhalla in time to tee off, though he didn’t lead the leaderboard for once. McIlroy later joked that “the only thing that took him from winning a golf tournament was going into a jail cell for an hour.”

Scheffler’s legal issues were resolved after a couple of weeks with all charges dropped. The noise around McIlroy’s personal life also began to quiet down until Tuesday when DailyMail.com reported that McIlroy’s divorce was called off, just as golf seemed ready to reclaim the spotlight.

On Wednesday, observers noted McIlroy’s left hand, devoid of a wedding ring, as he practiced. He appeared unaffected emotionally, spending the day laughing and joking with his caddie, Harry Diamond, and manager, Sean O’Flaherty, hitting occasional practice shots.

Later, McIlroy headed to the first tee for a final practice round on Pinehurst No. 2 before Thursday’s opening round. He received a warm ovation and seemed to enjoy himself. The 35-year-old golfer expressed confidence, believing he is “closer than ever” to ending his decade-long wait for a fifth major. Fittingly, he practiced with Martin Kaymer, the last winner of the US Open at this course in 2014. While Scheffler is the favorite to win, McIlroy is also seen as a strong contender.

“Rory’s going to win this thing,” a fan shouted as McIlroy landed an impressive approach shot on the first hole. The crowd cheered again on the second hole for his skillful play around the challenging greens. McIlroy responded with a performative club twirl after sinking a long putt a few holes later.

Although the course provided a few reminders of its difficulty, McIlroy navigated it with a smile, engaging with the crowd as the sun began to set. The spotlight on him is unlikely to dim soon, and a victory here would add another remarkable chapter to an already eventful year.

A decade ago, McIlroy won shortly after ending his engagement to Caroline Wozniacki, followed by two more majors soon after. He also performed strongly in 2022, leading the PGA Tour’s resistance against LIV Golf. Even this year, he won twice shortly before his divorce news broke and finished fourth at the RBC Canadian Open following a respectable T12 finish at Valhalla.

Whether McIlroy’s time has finally come, or if Schauffele or Scheffler will rise through the chaos, remains to be seen. The opposite of tempting fate might be bracing for yet another twist in this unpredictable golfing saga.