Rory McIlroy files for divorce from wife Erica ahead of PGA Championship – NBC Chicago

Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce after seven years of marriage, based on court docket information in Palm Seashore County, Florida, a surprising growth going into the PGA Championship.

McIlroy and his spouse, Erica Stoll, had a storybook assembly throughout the Ryder Cup in 2012, started courting two years later and had been married in 2017. They’ve one daughter, Poppy, born in September 2020.

TMZ first reported on the submitting, which was made Monday. There have been no paperwork instantly accessible from the petition for dissolution of marriage.

McIlroy’s lawyer was listed as Thomas Sasser, the identical lawyer who represented Tiger Woods when his spouse divorced him in 2010.

“Rory McIlroy’s communications staff confirmed in the present day {that a} divorce has been filed. They careworn Rory’s want to make sure this tough time is as respectful and amicable as attainable,” mentioned an announcement from his supervisor, Sean O’Flaherty.

He mentioned there can be no additional remark.

McIlroy arrived at Valhalla on Tuesday. He has gone 10 years since successful a serious, the final one at Valhalla in 2014 for the PGA Championship. His pre-tournament information convention was scheduled for Wednesday.

McIlroy and Stoll met underneath uncommon circumstances. She labored for the PGA of America in 2012 throughout the Ryder Cup at Medinah within the Chicago suburbs, the place McIlroy practically missed his Sunday singles match as a result of he mentioned he forgot he was within the Central time zone.

Stoll organized for a police escort to Medinah, and McIlroy barely arrived in time. He gained his match over Keegan Bradley as Europe rallied to win.

McIlroy was courting tennis star Caroline Wozniacki on the time. They had been engaged simply over a yr later, however then McIlroy abruptly broke it off over the telephone.

He and Stoll started courting later that yr. They had been engaged in 2015.

McIlroy filed for the divorce a day after he gained the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, his second straight PGA Tour win and the twenty sixth of his profession. Requested if he deliberate to go straight to Valhalla on Sunday evening, McIlroy mentioned, “I will most likely go residence and simply type of reset, then head as much as Louisville tomorrow evening or Tuesday morning.”

The divorce submitting comes amid chaos in golf created by the launch of Saudi-funded LIV Golf. McIlroy has been a central determine over the past two years, harshly criticizing LIV after which altering his views and pushing for some type of reunification.

He resigned from the PGA Tour board final November, then was concerned in a plan to rejoin the board by changing Webb Simpson. That transfer was met by resistance from different participant administrators. As an alternative, McIlroy was appointed to a committee that’s negotiating with the Public Funding Fund of Saudi Arabia over doubtlessly turning into a minority investor.

Related Press Author Terry Spencer in Palm Seashore, Florida, contributed to this report.