Rory McIlroy Divorce Rumors That Have Been Firmly Debunked

In May 2024, Rory McIlroy, a famous athlete and pal of Meghan Markle, initiated divorce proceedings. Despite the unexpected arrival of this news, it appeared there was long-term turmoil. "The marriage between the parties is irretrievably broken," the paperwork explained (via Mirror). However, despite this blunt admission, it didn't take long for the pro golfer to reconsider. By June 2024, McIlroy announced that the situation between him and his wife, Erica Stoll, had dramatically changed. "Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together," McIlroy informed The Guardian. "We have resolved our differences." Confused by this erratic behavior, some people began to concoct creative theories.

According to Celebrity Net Worth, the pro golfer has a net worth of $250 million, and money was at the heart of one of these rumors. Between property, assets, and legal proceedings, divorces can exact a hefty financial toll. Although Stoll and McIlroy had a prenuptial agreement, not everyone was convinced it would hold up in court.

However, looking at the divorce paperwork, others saw a lot of holes in this conjecture. The document asserted that McIlroy and Stoll would split custody of their daughter, eliminating the difficulties of protracted court battles. It also didn't portend any issues related to the 2017 prenup. In addition, the couple appeared to be amicably making choices to determine what they thought was best going forward. McIlroy reportedly intended to give up a prenup-stipulated property, demonstrating he wasn't that concerned with money matters.

Erica Stoll's presence on the green has been viewed as an indicator of difficulties in her marriage to Rory McIlroy. During that brief month when McIlroy wanted a divorce, some observed that Stroll hadn't attended one of his recent competitions. Apparently this situation had gone on for years. "Erica was usually absent for most of his tournaments and was really focused on Poppy," an insider divulged to Us Weekly.

Caring for a young child can stress a marriage, and although Stoll's decision to stay home was completely understandable, people continue charting her presence with an eagle eye. Now that their daughter's older, she and Stoll have supporting McIlroy at multiple events. However, even though she and Poppy were there when McIlroy won the 2025 Masters, it was rumored that Stoll didn't join her husband and child for a trip to visit his parents afterwards. McIlroy refuted this gossip. Besides affirming Stoll's presence, he mentioned they had plans to move to England together. This long-term goal is a strong indicator the couple overcame their hurdles and found balance in their relationship.

Rumors aside, it's possible that McIlroy simply made a hasty decision in May 2024, since even his friends were baffled by his divorce announcement. With his past romantic partners, including Caroline Wozniacki, the pro golfer had a tendency to end relationships abruptly. In response, Stoll seemed to take a more measured approach. She didn't take legal action as stipulated by the divorce proceedings, perhaps giving McIlroy time to reflect.