Getty Image / Michael Reaves
Rory McIlroy came into the PGA Championship at Valhalla as hot as he’s been in years having won in his most recent start before the major when he beat Xander by 5 strokes at the Wells Fargo Championship. It was Rory’s second win of the season having already taken down the Zurich Classic in New Orleans.
Momentum on his side which is usually a signal that all is well in a golfer’s life, it came as a bit of a shock to the golf word when news broke that Rory McIlroy had filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll after 7 years of marriage. Rory didn’t win the PGA, obviously, but he finished t12 at -12 after going 68-67 on the weekend and allowed his on-course play to overshadow any discussion of his marriage.
It’s unclear exactly what led to Rory McIlroy filing for divorce. Nothing is ever as simple in real-life as it can seem on paper. But US Weekly reports to have spoken with an insider who claims the amount of golf Rory McIlroy played was a major factor in his marriage to Erica Stoll falling apart. Via Us Weekly:
“A point of contention in Rory’s marriage with Erica was that Erica was lonely in their marriage,” a source tells Us. “Rory was a hard person to be married to.” The insider tells Us that parenthood altered Stoll’s priorities, particularly when it came to being on the road. “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 source adds. “Erica was usually absent for most of his tournaments and was really focused on Poppy.” Ultimately, McIlroy and Still “were living very different lives the last two years with him being on the road, and eventually she had a breaking point,” the source says.
I hate to state the obvious here but professional golfers play a lot of golf. It’s more than a full-time job. It’s 7-days a week and the grind never ends.
It is worth noting that it was reportedly Rory McIlroy who filed for divorce, and not his ex-wife Erica Stoll. So it is at least worth considering why those insider quotes seem to be from Stoll’s perspective are being released to a tabloid.
Elsewhere in Rory McIlroy news, there were rumors floating around about a potential romance and those rumors have been completely shut down by insiders.
Maybe I’m in the minority here but I really couldn’t be bothered to care about Rory’s personal life. He’s a pro’s pro and goes out and competes every week regardless of distractions.