Rory McIlroy is ‘trying to find himself’ amid bombshell divorce from wife Erica Stoll
Rory McIlroy is said to be doing some soul-searching amid his divorce from his wife, Erica Stoll. McIlroy, 35, filed for divorce on May 13, ending their seven-year marriage just after his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship. Despite his recent win at Quail Hollow, the World No. 3 is focused on getting back to…
Rory McIlroy is said to be doing some soul-searching amid his divorce from his wife, Erica Stoll. McIlroy, 35, filed for divorce on May 13, ending their seven-year marriage just after his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Despite his recent win at Quail Hollow, the World No. 3 is focused on getting back to winning ways on the golf course amid his turbulent personal life. “He’s just trying to find himself, focus, and get back to winning,” a source told People, adding that McIlroy “went through such a winning phase and hasn’t done much in the last five years.”
The divorce isn’t McIlroy’s only off-course issue. He has been a staunch supporter of the PGA Tour in its battle with LIV Golf. Last year, he resigned from the PGA Tour Policy Board for personal and professional reasons but was expected to replace Webb Simpson upon his return. However, three of the five remaining player directors—Tiger Woods, Patrick Cantlay, and Jordan Spieth—voted against his return earlier this month.
“He put his blood, sweat, and tears into defending the PGA against LIV Golf, and it was basically for nothing,” the source said, referring to the PGA-LIV merger that shocked the golf world last June.
The source also sympathized with Stoll, noting how difficult it is to be a professional golfer’s wife due to their busy schedules and the entourage that comes with it. “It’s a hard life being a golfer’s wife,” the source said. “They’re always away at tournaments and practicing; there has to be a lot of trust. You either have to join them on tour or just have trust in them.”
McIlroy and Stoll, who married in 2017, share a daughter, Poppy, 3. After becoming a mother, Stoll made Poppy her priority, especially given McIlroy’s busy PGA Tour schedule. “A point of contention in Rory’s marriage with Erica was that Erica was lonely in their marriage,” an insider told Us Weekly. “Rory was a hard person to be married to.” The insider added that their marriage hit a breaking point once they had Poppy and Stoll’s perspective changed.
McIlroy, whose career earnings on the PGA Tour total nearly $87 million, met Erica Stoll during the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, Illinois, where she worked for the PGA of America. Despite their initial meeting, they didn’t start a relationship until a few years later.
Court documents filed in Palm Beach County last week and obtained by DailyMail.com state that their marriage was “irretrievably broken.” The divorce petition also mentions a prenuptial agreement, but its details have not been disclosed. McIlroy’s attorney, Thomas Sasser, also represented Tiger Woods in his 2010 divorce.
The filing calls for shared custody and a parenting plan for Poppy. McIlroy broke his silence on the split on May 14 through his communications team, who confirmed the divorce and stressed McIlroy’s desire for a respectful and amicable process. However, he refused to address the breakup ahead of the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club.
At a press conference, McIlroy was asked how he was doing. He responded, “I’m ready to play this week.” Despite his efforts, he finished tied-12th, nine shots behind first-time major winner Xander Schauffele.
Stoll is believed to have stayed at their $22 million mansion with Poppy while McIlroy traveled to Louisville for the PGA Championship. McIlroy purchased the Jupiter, Florida home inside the Bear’s Club golf community from Ernie Els for $11 million in 2012; it is now believed to be worth double.
McIlroy and Stoll kept their relationship largely private before marrying in a lavish ceremony in Ireland in 2017. He recently won the Wells Fargo Championship but failed to end his 10-year major championship drought at Valhalla. He did not compete in the Charles Schwab Challenge in Texas this week.