Rory McIlroy and his wife Erica Stoll have caused a stir by making a rare public appearance together away from the golf course. The couple attended a White House State Dinner in Washington D.C. at the end of April, following an invitation from Donald Trump. This marks an unusual step for the pair, who have generally kept a low profile outside of McIlroy's tournament celebrations.
Couple's Low Profile
McIlroy and Stoll, married since 2017 and parents to a daughter, have rarely been photographed together in non-golf settings. Most public photos of them come from post-tournament celebrations. The latest snapshot, however, shows them dressed up for the formal dinner, shared on Instagram by makeup artist Carl Ray. The couple briefly faced a divorce filing in May 2024, but quickly reconciled, and the filing was withdrawn the following month.
McIlroy's Tournament Absence
McIlroy made the significant decision to skip the Cadillac Championship at Trump National Doral in Miami to attend the dinner. Speaking at Aronimink Golf Club ahead of the PGA Championship, he explained: "I was tentatively planning to play Doral, and then I got invited to that White House State Dinner the night before on a Tuesday night, which I thought was a wonderful opportunity. To go down to Doral and then fly up to D.C. for that and then fly back down — if I wasn't giving my 100 percent attention to the tournament, then there's no reason to play it, right? I wanted to do the State dinner, and if I was going to do that, it was probably better that I take that week to practice and prepare, come up here and see the golf course, and then go into Quail Hollow feeling more ready to play."
Even before this absence, the 37-year-old had been reducing his tournament schedule. In 2026, he has played fewer than ten events, though he returned to action last weekend at the Truist Championship at Quail Hollow, a venue where he is a four-time champion. He finished tied for 19th in that event, with Norway's Kristoffer Reitan claiming his first PGA Tour win.
PGA Championship Preparation
McIlroy is now focusing on the PGA Championship at Aronimink, which last hosted the major in 1962. He believes the greens will be decisive. "Strategy off the tee is pretty non-existent. It's, basically, bash driver down there and then figure it out from there," he said. "The greens are the main focus this week, and I think getting yourself in the right sections of the greens, making sure you leave yourself below the hole for the most part — that's the key this week."
