Rory McIlroy refused to answer questions about his divorce from wife Erica Stoll on Wednesday as he faced the media for the first time since announcing the news.
The Northern Irishman has been the talk of Valhalla since it was revealed he is separating from his wife of five years just days before the PGA Championship.
In a statement, McIlroy’s team “underlined Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible,” before adding that he “will have no further comment.”
Then, at the beginning of the press conference, the media was warned not to ask questions about McIlroy’s personal life, while he sat with his head bowed.
The only non-golf-related question the 35-year-old answered was about how he was feeling “on a personal level,” to which he responded simply: “I’m ready to play this week.”
Rory McIlroy faced the media but refused to answer questions about his divorce from his wife
McIlroy sat with his head bowed as the press officer told the media not to ask personal questions.
PGA Tour star McIlroy filed for divorce from wife Stoll (pictured right) in Florida on Monday
McIlroy and Stoll got together after his split from Caroline Wozniacki in 2014 (pictured together in 2015 in Dubai)
The Northern Irishman and Stoll married in 2017 (pictured at the 2023 Ryder Cup)
The news conference lasted about 10 minutes, the shortest of any player, before McIlroy left to continue his preparations ahead of the tournament in Kentucky.
McIlroy is said to have filed divorce papers on Monday, just three days before the start of the PGA Championship, the second major of the year, and fresh off his latest victory at the Wells Fargo Championship last weekend.
The documents, filed in Palm Beach County and obtained by DailyMail.com, claimed their marriage was “irretrievably broken.”
The couple, who share three-year-old daughter Poppy Kennedy, born in 2020, married in 2017 after a fairytale meeting at the 2012 Ryder Cup.
The Northern Irishman, whose career earnings total nearly $87 million, met 35-year-old New York state native Erica during the tournament in Illinois where she was working for the PGA.
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 vows at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland, in front of celebrity guests including One Direction star Niall Horan and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, while music icons Ed Sheeran and Stevie Wonder performed at the event.
McIlroy returned to the course Wednesday for one final practice round at Valhalla.
The Northern Irishman signed autographs for his fans despite the turmoil in his personal life
McIlroy was seen with his business manager, Sean O’Flaherty, at practice on Wednesday.
McIlroy flashed a wide smile at one point during his practice round on Wednesday, on the 12th hole.
The divorce petition states that the couple had signed a prenuptial agreement. However, details of the agreement have not been disclosed.
McIlroy’s lawyer was listed as Thomas Sasser, the same lawyer who represented Tiger Woods when his wife divorced him in 2010.
The filing also calls for joint custody and the establishment of a parenting plan for Poppy.
The couple are believed to have lived in a 12,800-square-foot, £7.6 million ($9.5 million) mansion in the golf capital of Jupiter, Florida, home to many professionals, after McIlroy sold his luxurious Palm mansion Beach Gardens in 2018 for £9.5 million ($11.9 million).
The house has been reported to have belonged to golf legend Ernie Els.
Erica has regularly been seen supporting her PGA husband at his tournaments, including the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome, where she wowed in a stunning strapless black dress on the Spanish Steps.
He was also on McIlroy’s bag for the Masters Par-3 competition with his daughter Poppy in 2023. However, the McIlroy family was notably absent from the traditional annual event last month.
The couple share a three-year-old daughter, Poppy, who was born in 2020 (Erica and Poppy pictured in 2021).
Erica was on McIlroy’s bag for the Masters Par-3 event with her daughter Poppy in 2023.
Erica grew up in New York and graduated from Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in marketing in 2008. She then went on to work for the United States Professional Golf Association.
She was spotted at The Players Championship in March when the PGA Tour shared a touching clip of her and Poppy greeting McIlroy on the 18th green.
The golfer was seen lifting his daughter into his arms to hug her and Erica telling him that they had been watching her birdie-birdie finish.
McIlroy answered some questions about golf but declined to divulge information about his private life.
McIlroy was the fastest of all the golfers in the media center Wednesday afternoon.
And Erica was also seen supporting Rory during the second season of the Netflix series Full Swing, which documented the 2023 PGA Tour.
Scenes showed her chilling Rory during a fit and giving him a kiss as Team Europe took the lead in last year’s Ryder Cup.
McIlroy infamously split from tennis star Wozniacki in 2014, just months before they got married.
The golfer is said to have dumped his then-fiancee in a three-minute phone call hours after telling her he loved her. Their separation occurred in May 2014, before getting married in November.