RORY MCILORY’S marriage to Erica Stoll had “hit breaking point”, according to an insider.
The golfer filed for divorce last week – seven years after tying the knot.
McIlory’s shock split from his wife came just days before he was set to compete in the PGA Championships.
And in documents lodged to Palm Beach County Court, their marriage was described as “irretrievably broken”.
According to an insider, who spoke to US Weekly, the separation did not come as a surprise to both’s inner circle.
They claim: “A point of contention in Rory’s marriage was that Erica was lonely.
“Rory was a hard person to be married to.”
They state that the pair had “hit breaking point” as they lived separate lives.
McIlory was often away at tournaments, with Erica not present as she was instead focusing nearly all of her time into being a mother to daughter Poppy, 3.
The source explained: “She knew what she was getting into with his profession, but once they had Poppy, things really changed and she had a new perspective.
“Erica was usually absent for most of his tournaments and was really focused on Poppy.”
The couple met at the 2012 Ryder Cup when the then PGA employee arranged a police escort to get him to the first tee in time after he had overslept.
McIlory was with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki back then – but he called off their engagement in 2014 after sending out wedding invitations.
He allegedly dumped her during a three-minute phone call just a few months before their big day.
The Northern Irishman got engaged to Erica just a year after splitting with Wozniacki.
By Jon Boon
AND so it has run its course.
Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll, who appeared a match made in heaven, are no more.
The pair were married for seven years and share a daughter called Poppy, who was born in 2020.
But the Northern Ireland golf star surprised fans everywhere when filed for divorce in May 2024.
And it isn’t the first time McIlroy’s relationships have made the headlines – with a romantic history involving a tennis star and even Meghan Markle.
When McIlroy burst onto the scene as a fresh faced teenager, he was supported by childhood sweetheart Holly.
However, they split up after he hit the big time – with McIlroy claiming the split was “amicable.”
But Holly alleged the golfer had left her for tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.
Beginning their romance in such an unceremonious way wasn’t the ideal start with the Danish tennis beauty.
They reportedly met at a boxing match, and soon prospered as a sporting power couple with McIlroy proposing on a romantic holiday to Monte Carlo on New Year’s eve 2013.
Fancy wedding invitations were sent to friends and family, with a date set.
However, Rory allegedly dumped Caroline in a three-minute PHONE CALL – just months before their nuptials.
And it was reportedly all down to a picture Wozniaki had put on Twitter.
In 2014, McIlroy was even romantically linked with the now Duchess of Sussex, Meghan.
The pair flirted in a video shared on social media, as he helped the American actress take part in the Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral trend adopted by many celebs to raise money for ALS.
Later Markle would wax lyrical about McIlroy on her blog.
But nothing even came of it as McIlroy soon fell for Erica – who he had met in bizarre circumstances after sleeping through his alarm at the 2012 Ryder Cup.
Erica, who worked on Tour, spared McIlroy’s embarrassment as he she helped him make his tee-time thanks to a police escort.
The incident began a firm friendship between the pair, four years before their relationship turned romantic.
Soon after, the couple got engaged in Paris and walked down the aisle at Ashford Castle in Ireland in 2017.
Click here to read our full feature on McIlroy’s love life...
