Over the summer, Rory McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll. PSYCH!
According to TMZ, Rory filed papers in his adopted home state of Florida to end his marriage — only to pull a 180 a few days later.
What caused the literal change of heart?
Rory McIlroy-Erica Stoll Divorce: What Happened And Why Its Off
For a while there, we had very few specifics about what prompted the split.
Really, all we knew was that Rory was the one who initiated the divorce.
The news left golf fans stunned, as Rory and Erica appeared to be one of the sports world’s most stable couples.
But then, just like that, merely a week later, Rory called off his divorce. His attorney filed a notice of voluntary dismissal on his behalf on Tuesday, June 11, said TMZ.
Curiouser and curiouser. The situation was a flat-out mystery until Rory gave one of his most personal interviews to date during an appearance on Patrick Kielty’s Late Late Show.
“I think sometimes life can get a lot and it can get too much. There’s been a lot going on this year, golf wise and then obviously personal wise as well,” he told the Northern Irish host (via GB News).
“I had to take a little bit of a break and get away from the game more than anything else. Golf and the business of golf had become all-consuming for me for the last couple of years, and I needed to take a bit of time away to realize what was actually important to me,” he added.
Needless to say, it sounds like Rory is taking the majority of the blame!
Rory and Erica’s Relationship History
The McIlroys met under very memorable circumstances.
It was 2012, and Erica was employed by the PGA, helping to organize the Ryder Cup.
When Rory’s alarm clock didn’t go off and he nearly missed his tee time, it was Erica who organized the police escort that got him to the course on time.
The pair hit it off immediately, but for years, their relationship was strictly platonic.
It was only after Rory ended his engagement to Caroline Wozniacki that he and Erica took things to the next level.
The couple married in 2017, and they welcomed their first and only child in 2020.
Interestingly, Rory and Erica kept their relationship private until fairly recently.
After years in which they would rarely appear in public together, Erica cheered Rory on at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
She also caddied for him at the Masters Par 3 event that same year.
So whatever happened between Rory and Erica, it seems to have happened rapidly — and it’s continuing to evolve.
We’re sure there will be endless speculation about infidelity or some sort of other scandal. But for now, it seems that both parties just want to move on from the drama.
We’ll have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.