Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll on the eve of the PGA Championship, prompting golf fans to draw parallels with his 2014 split from Caroline Wozniacki. The Northern Irishman filed papers in Palm Beach County State Court in Florida on Monday, calling for a respectful and amicable process. McIlroy met Stoll in 2014, married her in 2017, and they have a three-year-old daughter, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy.
The news has shocked fans, but many have noted a striking similarity to 2014 when McIlroy broke off his engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki just before the BMW PGA Championship. That upheaval did not hinder his golf; instead, he went on a winning streak, claiming the BMW PGA Championship, the PGA Championship, and The Open that summer.
McIlroy, currently world No. 2, has won his last two starts at the Zurich Classic and the Wells Fargo Championship. Fans are now speculating that he could end his 10-year major drought at Valhalla, the same venue where he won the 2014 PGA Championship. One fan wrote on Twitter: 'Getting rid of all distractions. Valhalla victory confirmed.' Another added: 'Didn't Rory McIlroy split from Caroline Wozniacki just before winning the PGA Championship in 2014, at Valhalla?'
McIlroy did not attend the PGA Championship champions dinner on Tuesday night. His team released a statement confirming the divorce filing and stressing his desire for a respectful process, adding that he would not comment further. Speaking after his latest win, McIlroy said: 'I've always been able to compartmentalise pretty well. I seem to for whatever reason play very good golf whenever I have a lot of stuff going on.'
The divorce comes amid a turbulent period for McIlroy, who was recently rejected in his bid to rejoin the PGA Tour's policy board, a decision that brought him into conflict with Tiger Woods.
