Rory McIlroy’s love life has been a bit of a rollercoaster since May 2024. The day after Mother’s Day, the professional golfer filed for divorce from Erica Stoll, his wife of seven years and the mother of his child. According to court documents obtained by ESPN, McIlroy claimed that his marriage was “irretrievably broken” and sought to enforce the ironclad prenup the pro-athlete signed with Stoll back in 2017. Only a day before the filings, McIlroy appeared unusually smiley during an interview with CBS News’ Amanda Balionis, leaving people questioning if the two were secretly having an affair. However, a source quickly clarified to Us Weekly that the golf reporter’s relationship with McIlroy was purely professional. 

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Unfortunately, this public denial wasn’t enough to quell the rumors since TMZ posted photos of them sharing a quick hug after another interview in early June. But, just a week later, the Northern Irishman confirmed to The Guardian that he and Stoll had called off their divorce, explaining, “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.” 

As the heat from the scandal died down, Balionis reignited the flames in late April 2025 by sharing a cheerful Instagram Story after she interviewed McIlroy following his loss at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. “Let’s celebrate this moment we’re living. Raise our glasses with happy smiles,” she shadily wrote alongside her raising a glass of wine with her pals, per The Mirror.

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After Erica Stoll and Rory McIlroy reconciled, they understandably tried their best to present a united front in public. However, in April 2025, there was a glaring red flag that showed that McIlroy and Stoll’s marriage was still on the rocks. After the professional golfer clinched the win at The Masters, he emotionally embraced his wife. While the moment may have seemed sweet on paper, body language expert Judi James told the Daily Mail that wasn’t the case. She pointed out that Stoll was giving her husband a few pats on the back to convey her love and also put an end to the embrace, adding, “Rory looks overwhelmed and clingy, while Erica’s response appears a little more polite, subdued and tempered.” 

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McIlroy’s rumored mistress, Amanda Balionis, made things even more awkward by gushing about his historic win in an Instagram post. Then, in the aftermath of the 2025 Masters, McIlroy and Stoll made a reported big move that explained a lot about their marriage. According to the Daily Mail, the couple wanted to relocate to the UK after living in Florida for years to get a fresh start. The tabloid posited this could be the Northern Irishman’s way of thanking his partner for sticking by his side throughout the controversy. Meanwhile, in a February 2025 episode of Netflix’s “Full Swing,” McIlroy reflected on his divorce, admitting, “I think it was a wake-up call for me to say, ‘Let’s just focus on the golf for a little bit.'”

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