Rory McIlroy opened up on an eventful year away from the golf course.
Rory McIlroy explained that “sometimes life can get a lot” in a candid chat with comedian Patrick Kielty during their round of golf together.
The two Northern Irish men joined forces in support of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month as McIlroy opened up on a difficult year in terms of his relationship with wife Erica Stoll, and disappointment in sport following his US Open near-miss.
McIlroy bogeyed two of the final three holes and watched on from the clubhouse as he suffered defeat from the jaws of victory, just a few days on from U-turning on a divorce with his wife.
Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning,” McIlroy said at the time.
McIlroy, who has a daughter, Poppy, with Stoll, took a break from golf and cited the need to step away from the sport. He has since returned with a positive attitude on the course, but explained on the Late Late Show that he has been dealing with plenty behind the scenes in 2024.
There’s been a lot going on this year,” McIlroy admitted. “From golf-wise and then obviously personal-wise as well. I think sometimes life can get a lot and it can get too much, I had to take a little bit of a break and get away from the game more than anything else.
“I think, going back to the talk about the merger with LIV (Golf) and all that, golf and the business of golf has become all-consuming for me for the last couple of years. And I needed to take a little bit of time away to realise what was actually important to me, friends, family, enjoying myself.”
