‘It’s a Hard Life Being a Golfer’s Wife,’ Source Says Following Rory McIlroy’s Surprise Divorce (Exclusive)

Amid the surprising split between Rory McIlroy and his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, a source tells PEOPLE that the lifestyle of a professional golfer creates a unique set of challenges for their families. “It’s a hard life being a golfer’s wife,” the source shares, noting, “They’re always away at tournaments and practicing, there has to be a lot of trust.”

Beyond being apart from their spouses, the source says the pro-golfers are often surrounded by “hangers-on” and “beautiful women” during tournaments. “You either have to join them on tour and go with it or just have trust in them, it’s impossible to expect them to be home and able to help with the kids,” the insider adds. Another source close to the pro-golfers tells PEOPLE that McIlroy seems to be “super focused on golf” amid his divorce, which came as a surprise to the members of his Florida community as well.

McIlroy “went through such a winning phase,” the source notes, “and hasn’t done much in the last five-ish years.” The insider adds, “Plus, he put his blood, sweat and tears into defending the PGA against LIV golf the last two years and it was basically for nothing,” referring to the high-profile merger between the two organizations, which left McIlroy feeling “somewhat like a sacrificial lamb” at the time. “He’s just trying to find himself, focus and get back to winning,” the source says.

On May 17, a separate source told PEOPLE McIlroy is “fairly down to earth for such a big star,” but that the golfer is “very private” about his personal life. “He just does NOT love the limelight,” the insider added. A second source with knowledge of the exclusive Bear’s Club golf course, where McIlroy plays in Jupiter, Fla., said he is “so private that there wasn’t a lot of speculation concerning his family life.” They added, “We are wondering what happened.”

McIlroy and Stoll met when she was working as a transport official for PGA of America in 2012. At the time, McIlroy was dating tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, who he proposed to on New Year’s Eve 2013 before breaking things off a few months later. Over the course of their relationship, Stoll had been a supportive figure for McIlroy at his tournaments, from caddying for him at the 2023 Masters Par 3 contest to cheering him on at the Ryder Cup in Italy. Stoll and McIlroy married on April 22, 2017, during a lavish ceremony at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland. They share one daughter, Poppy, who they welcomed in 2020.