Rory McIlroy refused to answer questions about his divorce from wife Erica Stoll on Wednesday, making his first media appearance since announcing the news.
The Northern Irishman has been the talk of Valhalla since it was announced he is divorcing his wife of five years, just days before the PGA Championship.
In a statement, McIlroy’s team emphasized “Rory’s desire to ensure that this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible,” before adding that he “will have no further comment.”
The media was then warned at the start of the press conference not to ask questions about McIlroy’s personal life as he sat with his head bowed.
The only non-golf question the 35-year-old asked was about how he was feeling “on a personal level,” to which he simply replied, “I’m ready to play this week.”
Rory McIlroy faced the media but refused to answer questions about his divorce from his wife
McIlroy sat with his head bowed as the press officer told the media not to ask personal questions
PGA Tour star McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife Stoll (pictured right) on Monday in Florida.
McIlroy and Stoll got together after his divorce from Caroline Wozniacki in 2014 (pictured together in 2015 in Dubai)
The Northern Irishman and Stoll married in 2017 (pictured at the 2023 Ryder Cup)
The press conference lasted about 10 minutes – the shortest of any of the players – before McIlroy left to continue his preparations for the tournament in Kentucky.
McIlroy is said to have filed the divorce papers on Monday, just three days before the start of the PGA Championship, the second major of the year, and just after his latest victory at the Wells Fargo Championship last weekend.
The documents, filed in Palm Beach County and obtained by DailyMail.com, stated that their marriage was “irretrievably broken.”
The couple, who share three-year-old daughter Poppy Kennedy, born in 2020, tied the knot in 2017 after a storybook meeting at the 2012 Ryder Cup.
The Northern Irishman, whose career earnings total almost $87 million, first met the 35-year-old New York native Erica at the tournament in Illinois, where she was working for the PGA.
The four-time champion and Stoll kept their relationship largely private before marrying in a lavish ceremony in Ireland in 2017.
The couple exchanged vows at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland, in front of celebrity guests including One Direction star Niall Horan and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, while music icons Ed Sheeran and Stevie Wonder performed at the event.
McIlroy was back on the course on Wednesday for a final practice round in Valhalla
The Northern Irishman signed autographs for fans despite the turmoil in his personal life
McIlroy was spotted during training on Wednesday with his manager Sean O’Flaherty
McIlroy flashed a wide smile at one point during his practice round on Wednesday, on the 12th hole
The divorce petition states that the couple had signed a prenuptial agreement. However, details of the scheme have not been disclosed.
McIlroy’s attorney was listed as Thomas Sasser, the same attorney who represented Tiger Woods when his wife divorced him in 2010.
The filing also calls for shared custody and the creation of a parenting plan for Poppy.
The couple are believed to have been living in a 12,800-square-foot, £7.6 million ($9.5 million) mansion in the golfing capital of Jupiter, Florida – home to many professionals – after McIlroy sold his luxurious Palm Beach Gardens mansion in 2018 for £9.5 million ($11.9 million).
It is reported that the house once belonged to golf legend Ernie Els.
Erica is regularly spotted supporting her PGA husband at his tournaments, including the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, where she wowed on the Spanish Steps in a stunning strapless black dress.
She was also on McIlroy’s bag for the Masters Par-3 competition with their daughter Poppy in 2023. However, the McIlroy family were noticeably absent from the traditional annual event last month.
The couple share a three-year-old daughter Poppy, born in 2020 (Erica and Poppy pictured in 2021)
Erica was on McIlroy’s bag for the Masters Par-3 event with their daughter Poppy in 2023
Erica grew up in New York and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2008 with a marketing degree. She went to work for the Professional Golf Association of America.
She was featured at The Players Championship in March when the PGA Tour shared a heartwarming clip of her and Poppy greeting McIlroy on the 18th green.
The golfer was seen taking his daughter into his arms for a hug as Erica told him they had been watching his birdie-birdie finish.
McIlroy answered a few questions about golf but declined to reveal any information about his private life
McIlroy was the fastest of all golfers via the media center on Wednesday afternoon
And Erica also appeared as a supporter of Rory during the second series of Netflix series Full Swing, which documented the 2023 PGA Tour.
Scenes showed her cooling Rory down during an outburst and giving him a kiss as Team Europe took the lead in last year’s Ryder Cup.
McIlroy infamously split from tennis star Wozniacki in 2014, just months before they got married.
The golfer is said to have dumped his then fiancée in a three-minute phone call after telling her he loved her. Their divorce came in May 2014, before their wedding in November.