Rory McIlroy breaks silence on Erica Stoll divorce U-turn after realizing 'what's important'

Rory McIlroy has opened up about why he and his wife, Erica Stoll, decided to halt their divorce proceedings back in June.

Before the US Open this year, McIlroy and Stoll announced that they had chosen to dismiss the divorce petition they had filed a month earlier at Palm Beach County State Court in Florida . A few days later, the Northern Irish golfer suffered a heartbreaking defeat at Pinehurst No. 2, losing a two-shot lead over eventual champion Bryson DeChambeau with just five holes left.

Following the loss, McIlroy announced he would be taking a short break from golf, but returned in time for the Genesis Scottish Open in July, where he tied for fourth place, reports the Mirror US .

In a chat with Patrick Kielty on Irish talkshow, Late Late Show, McIlroy revealed that he took the much-needed break from the sport to help him rediscover "what was actually important to me."

"I think sometimes life can get a lot and it can get too much," he said. "There's been a lot going on this year, golf wise and then obviously personal wise as well. I had to take a little bit of a break and get away from the game more than anything else," he told Kielty.

"Golf and the business of golf had become all consuming for me for the last couple of years and I needed to take a bit of time away to realise what was actually important to me. Friends, family, enjoying myself, enjoying the fact you were this little boy in Holywood and you've grown up to be whatever it is that I am and I need to enjoy that time."

Turning his thoughts to his daughter Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born in 2020, when asked by Kielty if he sees her swinging the clubs in the future, McIlroy shared, "We got her her first real clubs for her birthday this year," He continued, "She's taken a little bit of interest, if she did I would be 100pc supportive but at the same time I wouldn't mind if she did something different. It's not just about being a sportsperson, there's all the rest of it that comes with it."

"Especially in this age of social media and all the stuff you have to deal with. So, if it's your daughter you're trying to protect her from that as much as you can."

McIlroy also addressed the whispers about his marriage that surfaced back in June, telling the Guardian, "There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool's game."

The 35-year-old went on to explain more about his and his wife's decision to reunite, mentioning: "Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning."

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .