Golf superstar Rory McIlroy has dramatically scrapped plans to divorce his wife Erica, DailyMail.com can exclusively reveal.
The Irishman’s attorney, Thomas Sasser, filed a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal on his behalf Tuesday afternoon at the Palm Beach County Courthouse.
Court officials responded by closing the case, meaning McIlroy, 35, will have to start from scratch if she decides she wants a divorce.
The surprising change comes less than a month after Erica, 36, received documents at the couple’s marital home in Jupiter, Florida, informing her that McIlroy wanted to end their marriage.
The May 13 petition gave Erica, the mother of McIlroy’s three-year-old daughter Poppy, 20 days to file a countersuit or risk having the court grant the divorce by default.
Rory McIlroy (left) called off his divorce from wife Erica Stoll (right)
However, as DailyMail.com exclusively revealed, the blonde beauty did not file any response or register a lawyer before the June 2 deadline.
His lack of urgency made more sense on Tuesday when Sasser’s note was presented to the court at 3:21 pm on Tuesday, signed that same day by McIlroy.
“Petitioner Rory D. McIlroy, through the undersigned attorney, hereby voluntarily dismisses, without prejudice, the matter described above,” it said.
Once a court receives a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal, it considers the divorce case over and closes the file.
The secretaries have officially designated the divorce as “other arranged.”
Sasser, who represented Tiger Woods in his high-profile split from Elin Nordegren in 2010, did not immediately respond to questions about the sudden change of heart or the couple’s marital status.
McIlroy was in Kentucky preparing for the PGA Championship when Erica was served with her divorce summons at his sprawling mansion.
Their petition asked for joint parental custody of their little girl and asked that a judge enforce a prenuptial agreement the couple signed before their 2017 wedding.
The four-time major winner was photographed talking on the phone at Pinehurst No. 2 ahead of the US Open.
The Northern Irishman and Stoll married in 2017 (pictured at the 2023 Ryder Cup)
The Northern Irishman first met Erica during the 2012 Ryder Cup, which she was working on (pictured at the 2023 Ryder Cup opening).
The couple share a three-year-old daughter, Poppy, who was born in 2020 (Erica and Poppy pictured in 2021).
The paperwork given to him by Carl Woods, a Palm Beach police officer who runs a process serving company, warned: “You have 20 calendar days after you are served with this subpoena to file a written response to the attached petition with the clerk. of this circuit court.’
A phone call will not protect you. You must submit your response in writing, including the case number listed above and the names of the parties, if you want the court to hear your side of the case.
“If you do not file your response on time, you may lose the case and subsequently your wages, money and property may be confiscated without notice by the court.”
Doctors urged Erica to consider hiring an attorney, but she was never assigned one in court documents.
McIlroy has been linked in recent weeks to CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis, 38, who was seen hugging after the pair did an interview at the recent RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Hamilton, Ont.
Balionis, 38, is married to soccer coach Bryn Renner, but was recently spotted without her wedding ring, leaving golf fans wondering how close she and McIlroy had become.
Stoll had ditched her flashy engagement ring when she stepped out for the first time since he applied.
The New York state native was caught leaving the day after news of the divorce broke.
Stoll was seen filling up her car with gas in Jupiter, where the couple resides, late last month.
The couple calls a $22 million mansion in Jupiter, Florida, home after purchasing it in 2011.
An aerial view of the house shows the entire driveway, as well as the family’s tennis court and surrounding golf courses.
The rear of the house shows the family pool and other houses in the guarded neighborhood of similar value and size.
The news of the Northern Irishman’s U-turn comes just two days before the US Open
McIlroy and CBS reporter Amanda Balionis had sparked rumors of a romance between the two, especially after fans noticed that her wedding ring had been noticeably absent in recent photos (pictured with McIlroy at the Wells Fargo Championship on May 11).
Balionis and Bryn Renner began dating in 2019 and got engaged in 2021. They married a year later.
The cheerful journalist also interviewed McIlroy on May 11 at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, which he won by five strokes, days before Erica received his request.
Neither of them addressed the speculation publicly, but an anonymous source told Us Weekly that they were not dating.
When news of their divorce emerged, McIlory’s manager Sean O’Flaherty said in a statement: “Rory McIlroy’s communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed.”
They highlighted Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and friendly as possible. He will not comment further.”
McIlroy, whose career earnings on the PGA Tour total nearly $87 million, met Erica, a New York state native, during the 2012 Ryder Cup while she was working for the PGA of America.
He missed the alarm, but she helped him get to his departure time in Medinah, Illinois, by arranging for a police escort.
McIlroy was interviewed by Balionis following the Canadian Open earlier this month.
McIlroy and Stoll got together after his split from Caroline Wozniacki in 2014
McIlroy split from tennis star Caroline Wozniacki in 2014, months before they got married.
Erica was on McIlroy’s bag for the Masters Par-3 event with her daughter Poppy in 2023.
The 35-year-old has regularly been seen supporting her PGA husband at his tournaments.
McIlroy, who won the Major in 2011, addressed the media on Tuesday, hours before DailyMail.com broke the news.
They began dating several months after he abruptly called off his engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki in 2014.
Meanwhile, another source close to the tour claimed McIlroy had been “super focused on golf” as he attempted to end his decade-long wait for another major.
“Plus, he put his blood, sweat and tears into the PGA’s defense against LIV golf for the last two years and it was basically to no avail,” the source told People.
“He’s just trying to find himself, focus and get back to winning ways,” the source added.
