All About Golf Star Rory McIlroy and Wife Erica Stoll's Love Story

Rory McIlroy and his wife, Erica Stoll, are happier than ever. Even if you aren't a self-proclaimed golf fan, you probably recognize McIlroy's name. He once spent over 100 weeks in the number one position in the Official World Golf Ranking, and he has four major championships under his belt. He also appears in the popular Netflix docuseries Full Swing, which gives a behind-the-scenes look at several golf athletes playing in the PGA tour.

If you've followed his success on the green, you're probably itching to know more about his personal life too—especially because his relationship made headlines last year. So, who is Rory McIlroy's wife? The golfer has been with Erica Stoll since 2012, when they met at a PGA tournament. (Swoon!) They exchanged vows at a lavish Irish castle in 2017, and are proud parents to daughter Poppy. Look back on Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll's love story here, including where they stand today.

At a glance:

• Rory McIlroy's wife is Erica Stoll. The couple met at a PGA tournament in 2012.
• Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll got married on April 22, 2017, at Ashford Castle in Ireland.
• Rory McIlroy and his wife welcomed their first child, daughter Poppy, on August 31, 2020.
• Although he filed for divorce in May 2024, Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll reconciled one month later and are still together today.

In this article:

• Is Rory McIlroy Married?
• Who is Rory McIlroy's Wife, Erica Stoll?
• Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll's Relationship Timeline
• Rory McIlroy and Wife Erica Stoll's Wedding Details

Is Rory McIlroy Married?

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Yes, Rory McIlroy is married to Erica Stoll. The couple met in 2012 at the Ryder Cup, where McIlroy was competing and Stoll was working with the PGA. McIlroy proposed in 2015, and they tied the knot in April 2017 at a castle in Ireland. Rory McIlroy and his wife welcomed their first child, a daughter, in August 2020. The family has appeared in the Netflix docuseries Full Swing, which follows a handful of popular golfers (including Scottie Scheffler, Rickie Fowler and Justin Tomas) as they compete in the PGA tour. Although McIlroy filed for divorce in May 2024, the couple reconciled one month later and are still together today.

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Prior to his relationship with Stoll, Rory McIlroy previously dated tennis pro Caroline Wozniacki. Their high-profile romance lasted from 2011 to 2014. Despite getting engaged on New Year's Eve in 2013, McIlroy called off their wedding in May 2014.

Who is Rory McIlroy's Wife, Erica Stoll?

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Rory McIlory's wife, Erica Stoll, previously worked in the golf industry. According to the Democrat and Chronicle, the New York native played tennis and golf in high school before attending the Rochester Institute of Technology. She graduated with a degree in marketing in 2008. Stoll went on to work for the PGA as a transport official, and it was this job that made her cross paths with McIlroy. During her career with the PGA, Stoll also worked as an office manager and the manager of championship volunteer operations.

Stoll has another connection to the sport: She shares a birthday with golf icon Arnold Palmer. (Yes, the one that inspired the lemonade-iced tea drink.) On September 10, 2019, McIlroy shared a tribute to his wife—and his role model—on Instagram. "September 10th... a special day for 2 very important people in my life. My wife Erica and Arnold Palmer share a birthday today," he wrote. "They never got to have the joint party they talked about having a few years ago. Arnold would have been 90 today and Erica is, well... much, much younger! They have both taught me so much and made me a better man. I cherished every moment I got to spend with Arnold and I cherish the life I get to spend with Erica. Happy Birthday guys!!"

Despite her husband's career in the public eye, Erica Stoll leads a private life. She keeps her Instagram account private and has only appeared on her husband's social media pages a few times.

Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll's Relationship Timeline

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Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll's relationship can be traced back to 2012 when they met at a golf tournament. We break down the couple's complete relationship timeline here, from the moment they met to today.

September 2012: Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll Meet at the Ryder Cup

Due to a timezone mixup, Rory McIlroy nearly missed his tee time at the 2012 Ryder Cup. Erica Stoll was working as a transport official when she realized that the golfer had yet to show up, so she set up a police escort so he could get there in time. (Thanks to Stoll's quick work, McIlroy did indeed make it to the green, where he won his singles match and helped the European golfers take home the Cup.)

Late 2014: Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll Start Dating

After meeting in 2012, Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll remained good friends. But when McIlroy ended his engagement to Caroline Wozniacki in 2013, his relationship with Stoll turned romantic the following year. Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll began dating toward the end of 2014, though they didn't publicly acknowledge their relationship until 2015.

In a May interview with the Times of London, McIlroy opened up about their budding romance, saying, "I am very happy in my love life. We haven't really been putting it out there. She is from America, which is why I like to spend time in Palm Beach…The past six or seven months have been really nice. That part of my life is going great."

December 2015: Rory McIlroy Proposes to Erica Stoll

In 2015, Rory McIlroy wanted to propose to Erica Stoll in Paris, France, but a terrorist attack in the city almost upended the trip. "We had planned to go to Paris since May, we were always going to go," McIlroy said in an interview with the Independent. "Then what happened made us unsure what we were going to do. So we decided to go and if we didn't like it, if we didn't like the mood of the place, didn't feel comfortable, we would go somewhere else."

Upon their arrival, McIlroy decided to stick with his original plan. "We felt comfortable but I still thought at least at the start of the trip, it might make the rest of the trip even better," he reminisced. "So we went out for dinner and that was that. It was a nice trip, a nice way to end the year."

In that same interview, McIlroy gave rare insight into the early days of their relationship. "The thing I love about it is that we were friends before anything romantic happened," he shared. "We met when she was working for the PGA of America and renting a condo in Palm Beach, and I found it refreshing being with someone who was living a normal life rather than, 'Oh! My jet is 30 minutes late!' I could speak to her about anything, we ended up spending a bit of time together and realized that there was something more there."

He continued, "I love that she knows everything about me, and there was no judgment there. There was no judgment from day one, which is huge, because that's very hard to find for someone in my position."

April 2017: Erica Stoll and Rory McIlroy Get Married

Erica Stoll and Rory McIlroy's wedding took place on April 22, 2017. According to E! News, the couple selected Ashford Castle, a 13th-century castle-turned-luxury-hotel in Ireland, as the setting for their big day. It also served as a thoughtful nod to the groom's Irish heritage, as this castle was once the home of the Guinness family.

August 2020: Erica Stoll and Rory McIlroy's Daughter Is Born

Three years after their wedding, Rory McIlroy announced that he and his wife were expecting their first child—a baby girl—during an NBC interview just weeks before her arrival. "We're about to be parents very soon, so we're obviously super excited," the dad-to-be told the outlet. "Yeah, we've been sharing the news with friends and family, obviously, but I didn't think it was something that I really particularly needed to share out here. It's a private matter, but we're really excited and can't wait for her to get here."

Rory McIlroy's daughter was born on August 31, 2020, in Jupiter, Florida. "Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born August 31st, 12:15 pm," the new dad captioned a black-and-white photo of his daughter's hand on Instagram. "She is the absolute love of our lives. Mother and baby are doing great. Massive thank you to all the staff at Jupiter Medical Center and Dr Sasha Melendy for their amazing care ❤️❤️❤️."

February 2023: Rory McIlroy and Wife Erica Appear in Netflix's Full Swing

In a rare move, Rory McIlroy allowed Netflix cameras to follow his life on and off the green for the docuseries Full Swing. The series follows a select group of popular golfers as they prepare for various tournaments on the PGA Tour.

April 2023: Rory McIlroy's Wife and Daughter Act as Caddies at the Masters

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At the 2023 Masters, one of the most popular PGA tournaments, Rory McIlroy's wife and daughter served as his caddies. The adorable moment was captured in an Instagram video, where Erica and Poppy can be seen playing on the green wearing matching jumpsuits with "McIlroy" written on the back.

A few months later, Erica and Poppy supported Rory at the Scottish Open—but Poppy wasn't just cheering for her dad. In a cute Twitter video shared by the official PGA Tour profile, the mom-and-daughter duo can be seen waiting to congratulate the golfer after he won. "Say 'Well done, Dada,'" Stoll encouraged her child. But when Poppy ran away, Erica said, "She wants to give Tommy a hug," referring to competitor Tommy Fleetwood. Ever a good sport, Rory joked, "We all need a hug!"

November 2024: Rory McIlroy Thanks His Family at the DP World Tour Championship

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McIlroy made headlines in May 2024 when he filed for divorce from his wife. Although the news came as a shock to golf fans, they couple reconciled just one month later and called off their split. In November, McIlroy won his third DP World Tour Championship and thanked his wife and daughter in an emotional speech. "Their support means the world to me," McIlroy told reporters. "To be able to show Poppy what happened today and maybe some of the reasons why I'm not around all of the time... it's incredible that they were here with me this week and I'm excited to go celebrate with them."

He added, "It's been quite the year, but I'm super happy with where I am in my career and in my life, and I feel like everything's worked out the way it was supposed to."

Erica Stoll and Rory McIlroy's Wedding Details

Rory McIlroy and his wife Erica got married on April 22, 2017. Unfortunately for curious fans, no photos of the wedding day exist. (But based on insider reports, it sounds every bit as lavish as you'd imagine.) Per E! News, the event—which took place at Ashford Castle in Ireland—was reportedly worth a whopping $250,000. The couple seemingly had a star-studded guest list, with outlets reporting that A-listers like Stevie Wonder, Ed Sheeran, Jamie Dornan, Chris Martin and One Direction's Niall Horan were in attendance. Wonder and Sheeran allegedly performed for the newlyweds throughout the night.