Rory McIlroy made sure to mention his wife Erica Stoll in his Masters victory speech this year, avoiding the criticism he faced 12 months ago for omitting her. The Northern Irishman secured his second consecutive green jacket at Augusta, finishing at 12 under par to claim his sixth major title.
In his speech, McIlroy said: 'First and foremost, my wife and daughter, Erica and Poppy. They have to put up with me at home and, trust me, sometimes that’s a tough thing to do.' He added that the tournament had become his daughter's favourite week of the year, partly due to the all-you-can-eat ice cream.
The mention came after McIlroy filed for divorce from Stoll in May 2024, describing the marriage as 'irretrievably broken', before withdrawing the petition weeks later. The couple have since kept their private life out of the spotlight.
McIlroy also thanked his parents, revealing he had to convince them to attend after they believed their absence last year contributed to his win. 'I owe everything to you,' he said.
The victory tied McIlroy with Sir Nick Faldo on six major titles. When asked about future Masters wins, he said: 'I’m not putting a number on it. But I certainly don’t want to stop here.'
