Rory McIlroy has admitted “the business of golf” became “all consuming” after spending months criticising LIV Golf before taking a step back from the sport’s civil war
Rory McIlroy has opened up about why he and his wife, Erica Stoll, decided to abandon their divorce plans back in June.
Before this year’s US Open, McIlroy and Stoll revealed they had chosen to dismiss the divorce petition filed a month earlier at Palm Beach County State Court in Florida. A few days later, the golfer suffered a heartbreaking defeat at Pinehurst No.2, losing a two-shot lead over eventual champion Bryson DeChambeau with just five holes left.
Following the loss, McIlroy announced a temporary break from golf but made a comeback in time for the Genesis Scottish Open in July, where he tied for fourth place. In a conversation with Patrick Kielty on the ‘Late Late,’ McIlroy admitted that he took the much-needed break from golf to help him refocus on “what was actually important to me”.
“I think sometimes life can get a lot and it can get too much,” he said. “There’s been a lot going on this year, golf wise and then obviously personal wise as well. I had to take a little bit of a break and get away from the game more than anything else,” he said.
“Golf and the business of golf had become all consuming for me for the last couple of years and I needed to take a bit of time away to realise what was actually important to me. Friends, family, enjoying myself, enjoying the fact you were this little boy in Holywood and you’ve grown up to be whatever it is that I am and I need to enjoy that time.”
McIlroy’s “business of golf” comment was a reference to the sport’s civil war between the PGA Tour and LIV Golf. The four-time major winner was a huge critic of LIV during the Saudi-backed circuit’s early days but has since softened his stance. He took a step back from the golf administration by resigning from the PGA Tour’s Policy Board last year.
When asked about his daughter Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born in 2020, and whether she might follow in his golfing footsteps, McIlroy responded: “We got her her first real clubs for her birthday this year.
“She’s taken a little bit of interest, if she did I would be 100pc supportive but at the same time I wouldn’t mind if she did something different. It’s not just about being a sportsperson, there’s all the rest of it that comes with it.
“Especially in this age of social media and all the stuff you have to deal with. So, if it’s your daughter you’re trying to protect her from that as much as you can.”
Addressing rumours about his personal life that surfaced in June, McIlroy told The Guardian: “There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool’s game.”
The 35-year-old also shed light on the couple’s change of heart, revealing: “Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
