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A somber-looking Rory McIlroy stepped out for a practice round at Valhalla on Wednesday before the PGA Championship, a day after news emerged that he had filed for divorce from wife Erica Stoll.
McIlroy, who was also seen practicing on Tuesday, drew a large crowd and dutifully signed autographs despite his personal difficulties.
The Northern Irishman, who was not wearing his wedding ring, was also seen on Wednesday with his business manager, Sean O’Flaherty.
McIlroy, a two-time PGA Championship winner, looked very serious as he continued his preparations for the tournament.
However, he was seen flashing a wide smile on the 12th hole in one picture.
Rory McIlroy looked sad while practicing Wednesday before the PGA Championship.
On Tuesday it emerged that McIlroy had filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll.
McIlroy is seen with his wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy a year ago at the 2023 Masters
The Northern Irishman signed autographs for his fans despite the turmoil in his personal life
McIlroy flashed a wide smile at one point during his practice round on Wednesday, on the 12th hole.
The 2024 PGA Championship will begin on Thursday, when McIlroy will tee off at 1:15 p.m. local time.
McIlroy first met Erica during the 2012 Ryder Cup, where she was working for the PGA.
The couple share a three-year-old daughter, Poppy, who was born in 2020.
His communications team confirmed the couple’s split on Tuesday, while McIlroy will address the press later on Wednesday afternoon.
Sources suggested to The Sun that McIlroy’s decision to divorce Stoll “came out of the blue.”
The golfer was photographed wearing his wedding ring last Sunday while lifting the Wells Fargo Championship cup.
The Northern Irishman and Stoll married in 2017 (pictured at the 2023 Ryder Cup)
McIlroy will play on Thursday at 1:15 pm local time, as he looks to win his first major since 2014.
McIlroy, 35, has won the PGA Championship twice: in 2012 and 2014.
He is said to have filed for division 24 hours later in Florida’s Palm Beach County, where he lives.
A source told The Sun: “Their split comes out of the blue and no one saw it coming.” The timing is very strange, as Rory is about to participate in a tournament, but maybe he wanted to fix things before it started.
“Ironically, Rory is in the best shape of his life, so whatever has happened behind the scenes hasn’t affected him at all.”
The golfer had said on Sunday that “the stars are aligning” just before he is believed to have filed divorce papers, citing that his marriage had been “irretrievably broken.”
The divorce petition states that the couple had signed a prenuptial agreement. However, details of the agreement have not been disclosed.
The filing also calls for joint custody and the establishment of a parenting plan for Poppy.
McIlroy is said to be worth $253.5 million (£200 million) according to the Sunday Times rich list.
The four-time Major champion and Stoll kept their relationship largely private before tying the knot in a lavish ceremony in Ireland in 2017.
The couple exchanged their vows at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland, in front of celebrity guests including One Direction star Niall Horan and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin.
McIlroy’s lawyer was listed as Thomas Sasser, who represented Tiger Woods when his wife divorced him in 2010 after his serial cheating was exposed.
McIlroy skipped the PGA Champions Dinner on Wednesday.
Previous winners such as Tiger Woods, Brooks Koepka and Justin Thomas were there, as seen in a photo shared by the official page of the X tournament.