Erica Stoll's Past Divorce Drama Keeps Coming Back To Haunt Her

Northern Irish golfer Rory McIlroy's hecklers keep coming out in full force, and his wife has gotten caught in the crossfire. McIlroy married former PGA of America employee Erica Stoll in 2017 after meeting each other in 2012, but their relationship hit some rocky waters. McIlroy filed for divorce in May 2024 amid rumors of an affair in his and Stoll's relationship, although the filing was withdrawn by that June. McIlroy told The Guardian, "Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning." However, some folks are determined not to let McIlroy and Stoll forget this bumpy chapter.

Things got especially heated for Stoll and McIlroy at the 2025 Ryder Cup, which was held at the Bethpage Black Course on Long Island, New York. The Ryder Cup is a team competition pitting the best golfers from the United States against Europe's finest, so the American crowd was fully committed to supporting their countrymen. 

That being said, some of them were not exactly demonstrating polite golf behavior or anything resembling a sportsmanlike attitude, particularly the fan who shouted at McIlroy, "How's your divorce going?" Another yapped, "Your ex is looking for you," apparently in reference to his former girlfriend, Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. Even worse was the incident at the 17th green, when someone threw a beer in Stoll's direction and some of it landed on her hat, according to The Daily Mail. She was reportedly driven to tears, compelling her husband to implore the crowd to "shut the f*** up."

Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll had the proverbial last laugh, though, as he helped Europe defend its title with a 15-13 victory at the Ryder Cup. They were certainly in a celebratory mood on the team bus afterwards, with McIlroy's teammates and wife serenading him to the tune of "Zombie" by the Irish rock band The Cranberries, as seen in a video posted on caddie Mark Fulcher's Instagram.

McIlroy and Stoll left what Sky News called "the most abusive Ryder Cup in almost a century of matches." After his victory, McIlroy expressed his disappointment in the crowd, insisting (per Sky), "This should not be what is acceptable in the Ryder Cup. I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week." He also expressed his enthusiasm for how golf can bring people together, but clearly this tournament fell short in that regard.

Heckling is just part of professional sports, even a game as genteel as golf, so surely this was not the first time that these players and their families have endured a few barbs. But what was especially striking this time was just how personal the attacks were, with poor Stoll taking stray bullets from the irate crowd. Fortunately, though, it sounds like McIlroy and Stoll will not be losing much sleep over their haters. He made sure to note (per E! News), "Erica is fine. She is a very, very strong woman. She handled everything this week with poise and dignity like she always has and I love her and we're going to have a good time celebrating tonight."