Rory McIlroy makes bold wedding ring decision ahead of US Open after divorce decision

The ongoing relationship issues between Rory McIlroy and his wife took another twist on Wednesday, as the world's third-ranking golfer was spotted practicing for the US Open without his wedding band .

It was in May when Northern Ireland's hero golfer first made headlines by filing for divorce from longtime spouse Erica Stoll, citing an "irretrievably broken" marriage . However, McIlroy had the case dismissed voluntarily on Tuesday.

"There have been rumors about my personal life recently , which is unfortunate," McIlroy stated to The Guardian. "Responding to each rumour is a fool's game. Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning."

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On 16 May, the pair were both spotted without their wedding rings - just a day before legal proceedings for divorce were initiated by his attorney. At the time, McIlroy was participating in the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club while Stoll enjoyed an excursion in Jupiter, Florida .

Throughout the process, the leading golfer made it clear he wished to remain "respectful and amicable as possible". Moreover, he initially sought joint custody of Poppy, the couple's three year old daughter, reports the Express .

Over a decade ago, McIlroy and Stoll first met through golf where she was employed by the PGA of America and famously assisted the Northern Irishman in making his tee time at the 2012 Ryder Cup.

Rory McIlroy's romance with Erica Stoll blossomed from a platonic beginning, especially since McIlroy had just come out of a high-profile relationship with tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki. By the end of 2014, he was openly dating Stoll.

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"Erica that week was always the one that was checking us in and out. She was there at transportation, so she was always in the car park over there (by the clubhouse)," McIlroy reminisced during a 2019 NBC Sports interview. "But yeah, it's still cool to look around and think about that week, and obviously everything that's happened since then. It's pretty cool."

The couple tied the knot on Ireland's picturesque Atlantic coast, celebrating with a lavish wedding attended by celebrities like Stevie Wonder and Jamie Dornan.

Since their nuptials, McIlroy and Stoll have kept a low but apparently happy profile, with Stoll even leveraging her golfing expertise to caddy for McIlroy at the 2023 Masters Par 3 contest.

Amidst this personal life tranquillity, McIlroy is gearing up for a significant golfing weekend, aiming for his fifth major title and first in over a decade. Despite a long wait since his last major win, McIlroy has felt satisfied with his achievements over the past ten years and believes he's on the verge of clinching another major victory.

"I'm really proud of my body of work over the past 15 years and everything that I have achieved, whether it be season-long titles or individual tournaments or majors," said McIlroy. "I'm more confident than ever that I'm right there, that I'm as close as I've ever been."

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