Pro golfer Rory McIlroy does not want his divorce from wife Erica Stoll to be contentious. “Rory McIlroy’s communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed,” a spokeswoman for McIlroy told Irish Star on Tuesday, May 14. “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.”
McIlroy, 35, filed to legally end his marriage in Florida on Monday, May 13, Us Weekly confirmed. The filing stated that the marriage was “irretrievably broken” and revealed that the couple had a prenup. According to ESPN, McIlroy tapped Thomas J. Sasser, the same lawyer who represented Tiger Woods in his highly-publicized divorce from his ex-wife, Elin Nordegren, in 2010.
The divorce filing came days before this weekend’s PGA Championship 2024, where McIlroy is one of the favorites to win. He won the major in 2014. McIlroy met Stoll, 36, in 2012 while he was still dating tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. (McIlroy and Wozniacki, 33, were briefly engaged and split in 2014 after three years together.)
“The thing I love about it is that we were friends before anything romantic happened,” McIlroy told the Irish Independent of his relationship with Stoll in January 2017. “We met when she was working for the PGA of America and renting a condo in Palm Beach, and I found it refreshing being with someone who was living a normal life rather than, ‘Oh! My jet is 30 minutes late.’”
The pair got engaged in Paris in 2015 and tied the knot at a castle in Ireland two years later. McIlroy praised Stoll during a 2015 appearance at Facebook’s Dublin headquarters.
For me, Erica brings such a level of normality to everything. She has a calming presence, a sereneness and that’s not just on me; it is noticeable in any company. She never wants to be the center of attention and is always very comfortable in the background,” he said, per The Guardian. “She has been a great influence on me and has given such a great balance to my life, between who I am when people see me out here and who I am at home.”
McIlroy and Stoll went on to welcome their daughter, Poppy, in 2020. “Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born August 31st, 12:15pm. She is the absolute love of our lives. Mother and baby are doing great,” McIlroy wrote via Instagram at the time alongside a photo of Poppy’s tiny hand holding his pinky finger. McIlroy’s last social media post featuring Stoll came in August 2023.
“Always one of the best days of the year,” he captioned an Instagram video of himself, Stoll and Poppy running around on the golf course at The Masters.
