It's been a decade since Rory McIlroy won the PGA Championship. But the Northern Irishman is back at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky, and will begin his quest for the third Wanamaker Trophy of his career.
But McIlroy's personal life came to light when he filed for divorce from his wife, Erica Stoll, this week.
The four-time major winner held a pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday, but before taking reporters' questions, the moderator made it clear that McIlroy would not take any questions about his pending divorce.
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches from the fifth tee during the second round of the Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2024 in Georgia. (Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
“I think everyone saw the statement yesterday from Rory's communications team specifically that she will not be making any additional comments about her private life, so thank you all for respecting her wishes,” the moderator said at the start of McIlroy's media availability .
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The statement the moderator referred to was released by McIlroy's group on Tuesday. The statement noted that the professional golfer “will have no further comment” and “emphasized Rory's desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and friendly as possible.”
Rory McIlroy and his wife, Erica, appear after the singles matches on the final day of the 2023 Ryder Cup at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome. (Brendan Moran/Sportsfile via Getty Images)
The media session focused almost exclusively on McIlroy's golf game and topics related to the second major of the year. At one point, McIlroy was asked how he was doing personally, but the 35-year-old responded: “I'm ready to play this week.”
Rory McIlroy plays the ninth hole during the first round of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow Country Club on May 9, 2024, in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)
The press conference lasted longer than expected and McIlroy answered questions from the podium for about 20 minutes.
McIlroy appears to remain focused, even amid some personal turmoil. McIlroy and Stoll have been married for the past seven years and share a 3-year-old daughter. McIlroy was seen taking practice rounds before Wednesday's media session, but his ring was noticeably missing.
McIlroy finished tied for 22nd at the Masters Tournament in April, but has since won the last two tournaments he competed in: the Zurich Classic and the Wells Fargo Championship.
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Last week, McIlroy told Golf.com that he tends to “play really good golf when I have a lot of things to do.”
“I've always been able to compartmentalize pretty well. I seem to, for some reason, play very good golf when I have a lot of things to do. I don't know if it's – I really need that – when I get on the course, I really focus on what I'm doing. , but yeah, it seems to work,” he said.
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