Rory McIlroy and Wife Erica’s Appearance at Olympics Draws Mixed Reactions

Rory McIlroy was seen watching tennis at the Olympics with his wife Erica Stoll and his Ryder Cup teammate Shane Lowry. The trio attended the men’s tennis doubles quarterfinals on Wednesday, where Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Rafa Nadal lost to the American pair Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram.

The expressions of McIlroy and his wife drew particular attention from some golf fans on social media platform X. Observers claimed neither looked particularly thrilled. One user humorously commented, “Looks like they were watching a replay of the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open,” referencing McIlroy’s dramatic collapse during that tournament. Another simply stated, “Happily married,” while a third questioned the importance of the matter, asking, “Why do we care about this?”

In a turn of events earlier this year, McIlroy filed for divorce just a week before the PGA Championship at Valhalla. The court papers were filed shortly after his 26th PGA Tour victory at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte. According to court records, McIlroy submitted a ‘petition for dissolution of marriage’ in Palm Beach County, Florida, citing that their marriage was ‘irretrievably broken’. McIlroy and Erica, who married in 2017, share a daughter named Poppy.

However, in June, the Guardian reported that McIlroy and Erica decided against proceeding with the divorce. This news followed weeks of speculation about McIlroy’s personal life and rumors linking him romantically to Amanda Balionis. McIlroy addressed these rumors, stating, “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.”

At the Olympics, McIlroy played the first round of the men’s golf tournament alongside Ludvig Aberg and Scottie Scheffler. Initially indifferent about the Games, his enthusiasm has grown over the years. During the Tokyo Games, he expressed how hard he tried to finish third in a playoff for the bronze medal. This week, McIlroy shared that winning gold in Paris would be a significant achievement, potentially ending a decade-long drought in major championships. “It’s well documented that I haven’t won one of the big four in 10 years. It would probably be one, if not the biggest in my career for the last decade,” McIlroy stated when asked about the importance of an Olympic victory.