Rory McIlroy says, ‘Sometimes life can be a lot’ after a golf break
Rory McIlroy has explained why he had to take a break from golf.
“A lot has happened this year on a golf level and of course also on a personal level,” said the 35-year-old McIlroy. Patrick Kielty during the Saturday, September 14 episode of The late-late show. “Sometimes life can get a lot and it can become too much, and I needed to take a little break and get away from the game more than anything.”
According to McIlroy, he had to take space in ‘the golf world’ to realize his priorities.
“[What’s] Friends and family are actually important to me [and] I enjoy it,” said the professional athlete. “Enjoy the fact that you were a little boy in Holywood, and you grew up to be whatever I am, and I got to enjoy those times.”
Rory McIlroy and wife Erica Stoll sparked a romance after years of friendship. The professional golfer first met Stoll in 2012, while he was still dating tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. (The exes split in 2014 after three years and were briefly engaged.) “What I love about it is that we were friends before anything. […]
McIlroy had announced in June that he planned to take a few weeks off from golf tournaments. That same month, McIlroy filed to dismiss his divorce from his wife Erica Stol.
We weekly confirmed on June 11 that McIlroy had filed a notice of voluntary discharge in Palm Beach, Florida, ending his divorce petition. The application was closed the same day.
“Over the past few weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future as a family was together,” McIlroy said The Guardian in a statement at the time. “Fortunately, we have resolved our differences and are looking forward to a new beginning.”
McIlroy and Stoll have been married since 2017, during which they welcomed daughter Poppy. Seven years later, news broke in May that McIlroy had filed for divorce, claiming their marriage was “irretrievably broken.” He also requested joint custody of their three-year-old daughter.
Rory McIlroy has been one of the most profitable professional golfers throughout his career – before and after his relationship with Erica Stoll. McIlroy, 35, married Stoll, with whom he shares daughter Poppy, in April 2017. Us Weekly confirmed on Monday, May 13, that the professional athlete has filed for divorce. In the court papers, McIlroy […]
Stoll has never publicly discussed the couple’s divorce, although a source exclusively said so Us that she was ‘lonely’ in her marriage.
“She knew what she was getting into with his profession, but once they had Poppy, things really changed and she had a new perspective,” the insider said. Us. “Erica was usually absent during most of his tournaments and was very focused on Poppy.”
Now that the divorce is legally behind him, McIlroy is returning to the fairway – and is said to be backing Poppy to follow in his footsteps.
“We gave her her first real clubs for her birthday this year, so she’s starting to show a little interest,” he said on Saturday. “If she did [become a pro golfer]I would support her 100 percent, but at the same time I wouldn’t mind if she did something different.
