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Inside Rory McIlroy's complicated marriage with wife Erica Stoll after first meeting at Ryder Cup


Rory and Erica have been together since 2014 and the two got married in 2017. Find out what went wrong in their relationship.


Image© Getty Images
Nova M Bajamonti
Nova M BajamontiNews and Features Writer
6 days ago
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Rory Mcllroy and Erica Stoll were recently spotted hand-in-hand, looking cozy at the Ryder Cup's welcome dinner on September 23, 2025. She donned a gorgeous black dress as he matched her with a black blazer, tailored pants, tie and dress shoes. The couple has been married since 2017 and welcomed their daughter in 2020, however, the duo hasn't experienced a smooth-sailing marriage. Find out all about their complicated relationship below.

How did Rory and Erica meet?© Getty Images

The couple met out on the field

How did Rory and Erica meet?

Rory first met Erica in 2012, while he was dating tennis pro Caroline Wozniacki. Erica at the time was working as PGA's transport official. She's to thank for helping him get to his tournament on time due to him accidently oversleeping on the day off. Their friendship to relationship pipeline kicked off in 2014 shortly after he split from Caroline. 

Their relationship history© WireImage

The pair have been married since 2017

Their relationship history

The couple got engaged in Paris in 2015. In 2017 they got married in Ireland in a gorgeous castle called Ashford Castle, with guests such as Niall Horan, Ed Sheeran, Stevie Wonder and Chris Martin in attendance for their special day. For New Year's Rory recalled his memories from the year on social media and shared: "2019 was a great year. Delighted to be starting 2020 and a new decade with our @ashfordcastle family. Can't wait to see what the next 12 months has in store! Happy New Year everyone!" In 2020, they welcomed their daughter Poppy to the world. He wrote online: "She is the absolute love of our lives." Poppy sank a long put at the Augusta National Golf Club during a Par 3 contest in April 2025.

What has Rory said about their relationship?© Getty Images

The couple started off as friends

What has Rory said about their relationship?

In 2015 he revealed to the Times of London: "I am very happy in my love life...The past six or seven months have been really nice. That part of my life is going great." Rory was also ecstatic about having started off as friends with Erica. He shared with the Irish Independent in 2017: "The thing I love about [our relationship] is that we were friends before anything romantic happened. There was no judgment from day one, which is huge, because that's very hard to find for someone in my position."

Their life in the public eye© Getty Images

They were featured in a docuseries

Their life in the public eye

The pair was featured in a docuseries called Full Swing on Netflix in February 2023, however Rory made sure to set filming boundaries. He explained to the Golf Channel: "I made sure that the parameters were very much like, 'look, you can film me at — you're not coming to my house, you're not coming in my car, you're not coming anywhere near my family, but you want to do some stuff with me at golf tournaments, totally fine.'"

What went wrong?© Getty Images

Their relationship hasn't always been consistent

What went wrong?

After being married for seven years, Rory filed for divorce from Erica in May 2024, due to their bond being "irretrievably broken," per court documents, shared by Us Weekly. He signed his divorce papers right before the 2024 PGA Championship. Rory also went on to play without his wedding ring. Erica missed her signing deadline by one week, then Rory decided to dismiss the divorce in June 2024. He shared with The Guardian: "Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”

Recent public outings© Getty Images

They've been more unified in the public eye lately

Recent public outings

The couple have been showing a united front since last year. In July 2024, Erica cheered Rory on as he played at the Genesis Scottish Open in Scotland. In November 2024, Erica supported Rory as he played for the Race to Dubai title, alongside their daughter. During Netflix's trailer for Full Swing's third season which came out in February 2025, Rory admitted: "I've struggled with trying to be the best golfer, the best husband, the best dad." They've most recently appeared together at the 2025 Ryder Cup in Long Island.

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