It’s been a decade since Rory McIlroy won the PGA Championship. But the Northern Irishman is back at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, and will begin his pursuit of a third career Wanamaker Trophy.
But McIlroy’s personal life was thrust into the spotlight when he filed for divorce from his wife, Erica Stoll, this week.
The four-time major winner held a pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday, but before he took any questions from the reporters, the moderator made it clear that McIlroy would not take any questions about his pending divorce.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looks on from the fifth tee during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2024, in Georgia. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“I believe you all saw the statement yesterday from Rory’s communication team specifically that he will not be making any additional comments on his private life, so thank you all for respecting his wishes,” the moderator said at the beginning of McIlroy’s media availability.
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The statement the moderator referred to was released by McIlroy’s camp on Tuesday. The statement noted that the pro golfer “will not be making any further comment” and “stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.”
Rory McIlroy and his wife, Erica, are shown after the singles matches on the final day of the 2023 Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome. (Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
The media session proceeded to focus almost exclusively on McIlroy’s golf game and topics surrounding the second major of the year. At one point, McIlroy was asked about how he was doing on a personal level, but the 35-year-old replied, “I am ready to play this week.”
Rory McIlroy plays the ninth hole during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 9, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The press conference did go longer than expected, with McIlroy fielding questions from the podium for around 20 minutes.
McIlroy appears to remain laser focused, even in the midst of some personal turmoil. McIlroy and Stoll have been married for the past seven years and share a 3-year-old daughter. McIlroy was spotted going through practice rounds before Wednesday’s media session, but his ring was noticeably missing.
McIlroy finished in a tie for 22nd place at the Masters Tournament in April, but he has since won the last two tournaments he has competed in: the Zurich Classic and Wells Fargo Championship.
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Last week, McIlroy told Golf.com that he tends to “play very good golf whenever I have a lot of stuff going on.”
“I’ve always been able to compartmentalize pretty well. I seem to, for whatever reason, play very good golf whenever I have a lot of stuff going on. I don’t know if it’s – I need that just to really – when I get on the course, really focus on what I’m doing out there. But yeah, it seems to work,” he said.
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