When did Rory Mcllroy and Erica Stoll meet? Relationship explored as golfer heads into Open finals

Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll have had a long relationship, which recently went through a rough patch. Yet, they are back together. They first met in 2012 at the Ryder Cup in Medinah, Illinois. At the time, Erica worked for the PGA. She helped Rory get to his tee time after he made a time‑zone mistake. He nearly missed a match, but thanks to Erica, he arrived in time.

They stayed friends for a couple of years while Rory was dating tennis player Caroline Wozniacki back then. But in late 2014, he and Erica started dating. That paved the way for a very private wedding, and a child. This week, as Rory plays in the Open finals, his long journey with Erica is drawing renewed attention.

How did Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll's love story begin and grow?

Erica grew up in Irondequoit, New York. She studied marketing at Rochester Institute of Technology and finished in 2008. She then joined the PGA and worked her way up to managing volunteers, and that job brought her to major events like the Ryder Cup.

In September 2012, the Ryder Cup’s final day was approaching. Rory McIlroy misread his tee time and thought it would be later, when Erica stepped in, found the officials, and even arranged a ride with police to get him to the course right on time. They talked after that moment and kept in touch.

In late 2014, romance began. Rory McIlroy had just ended his engagement to Caroline Wozniacki earlier that year. By December 2015, he proposed to Erica in Paris. They married in April 2017 at Ashford Castle in Ireland. Just three years later, their daughter, Poppy Kennedy, was born on August 31, 2020.

Challenges, a divorce filing and reconciliation

In May 2024, Rory McIlroy filed for divorce in Florida. This shocked many, as court papers said their marriage was “irretrievably broken,” and they wanted joint custody of Poppy. Rory did not speak much at first. Soon, Erica was seen without her ring, and Rory was seen at golf practice without his. He later explained the problems came after his long-time focusing on golf, which pulled him away from family.

But just a month later, in June 2024, Rory McIlroy called off the divorce. He said he and Erica realized their best future was together as a family. He said,

"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."

In the Netflix show Full Swing, Rory said he wanted to shield his personal life from people with “ill intentions.” He said,

"I’ve always tried to be protective of my loved ones from people that have ill intentions."

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