Rory McIlroy says “Everything has worked out for the best,” and he “can’t wait for what lies ahead” after opening up about his aborted divorce for the first time on the new season of Full Swing.
The four-time major champion announced in May 2024 that he and his wife, Erica Stoll, were seeking a divorce after seven years of marriage, with court papers describing their relationship as “irretrievably broken.” The bombshell dropped just days before the PGA Championship at Valhalla and dominated the build-up to the tournament.
Rory McIlroy has opened up on a turbulent year in his private life (Image: Netflix)
Yet a month later, McIlroy announced he and Stoll – the mother to his only 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, a four-year-old girl named Poppy – had reconciled and the divorce was called off. Other than a brief statement confirming the news, McIlroy had not spoken publicly about the situation until the third series of Netflix’s ‘Full Swing’ released on Tuesday.
“There’s parts of my life I like to keep as private as possible,” McIlroy admitted when interviewed for the documentary series. “Unfortunately, in this line of work, that isn’t always possible. I have always been protective of my loved ones from people who have ill intentions.
“I think it was a wake-up call for me to say, ‘Let’s just focus on golf for a little bit.’ I have been on tour for 17, 18 years. I like when the attention is on my golf. Sometimes that is impossible.”
McIlroy added: “Thankfully, everything has worked out for the best and we’re happy and moving forward and can’t wait for what lies ahead.”
McIlroy and Stoll have been married for almost eight years ( Image: Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
McIlroy and Stoll met at the 2012 Ryder Cup at Medinah, where she was working for the PGA of America. McIlroy was dating tennis star Caroline Wozniacki at the time, but after ending their relationship in 2014, he struck up a romance with Stoll the following year and they got engaged in late 2015.
McIlroy and Stoll were married at Ashford Castle in Ireland in 2017, with Stevie Wonder and Ed Sheeran among the performers who entertained guests at the lavish ceremony.
McIlroy’s turbulent 2024 season features prominently in the new series of ‘Full Swing,’ covering the highs of his wins at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans and the Wells Fargo Championship to the crushing low at the U.S. Open that prolonged his decade-long wait for his fifth major championship victory.
The documentary series also addresses McIlroy’s ups and downs away from the sport, and he opened up about the difficulty of juggling his responsibilities in his private life with his pursuit of excellence on the course.
“Sometimes I’ve struggled with the balance of trying to be the best golfer, trying to be the best husband or the best dad. Sometimes I get overwhelmed and it can be a little too much for me,” McIlroy said.
