No one saw it coming’: Rory McIlroy’s split from wife Erica Stoll ‘came out of the blue’, sources say – as the golfer hires lawyer who represented Tiger Woods to end his seven-year marriageRory McIlroy married Erica Stoll, who hails from New York State, in 2017He filed divorce papers ‘a day after being pictured with ring on lifting trophy’ READ MORE: Inside Rory’s relationships including flirting with Meghan Markle Rory McIlroy’s decision to divorce wife Erica Stoll ‘came out of the blue’, sources have suggested – with the golfer reportedly filing papers one day after he was pictured lifting a trophy with his wedding ring on his finger.The 35-year-old PGA Tour ace had been snapped still wearing his wedding band on Sunday as he lifted the Wells Fargo Championship cup – and is said to have filed for the split 24 hours later in Florida’s Palm Beach County, where he lives.His decision to break the marriage off just before a major golf tournament has echoes of his split from Caroline Wozniacki in 2014 just before the PGA Championship, which he went on to win.It has prompted speculation he is hoping to shake off personal pressures to focus on his game.And McIlroy is also following in the footsteps of fellow golfing divorcee Tiger Woods by hiring attorney Thomas Sasser to file his divorce papers. Sasser represented all-time great Woods when his wife divorced him in 2010.Sources close to the sport say the split has taken the golfing world by surprise – adding that McIlroy’s recent form had not betrayed any difficulties behind the scenes.Wozniacki sends message to Koepka’s wife after McIlroy’s divorce91.8K viewing nowA smiling Rory was seen on the driving range at Valhalla on Tuesday after news of his divorce became publicThe four time major winner was seen practicing ahead of the PGA Championship as normal, a day after filing divorce papersThe four time major winner was seen practicing ahead of the PGA Championship as normal, a day after filing divorce papersPGA Tour star Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce from wife, Erica Stoll Rory McIlroy still had his wedding ring on his finger on Sunday afternoon at Quail HollowThe golfer looked relaxed and exchanged laughs with his team as he took to the driving range at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, KentuckyHe was pictured alongside caddy Harry Diamond (right), who was McIlroy’s best man when he wed Erica Stoll in 2017McIlroy and Stoll got together after his split from Caroline Wozniacki in 2014 McIlroy’s divorce papers were filed on his behalf by attorney Thomas Sasser (pictured), who also represented Tiger Woods during his 2010 separationIt has been suggested that McIlroy wanted to make the move ahead of the 2024 PGA Championship kicking off tomorrow – at which he hopes to end a 10 year majors drought that has lasted since his win after splitting from Wozniacki.One source told The Sun: ‘Their split comes right out of the blue and no one saw it coming. The timing is very odd with Rory about to take part in a tournament but perhaps he wanted to get things tied up before it started.’Ironically, Rory is in some of the best form of his life so whatever has been going on behind the scenes has not affected him at all.’McIlroy – said to be worth £200million according to the Sunday Times Rich List with career earnings of nearly £69million – did not appear to be showing any signs of strain as he took to the green at Valhalla Golf Club for practice on Tuesday.The four-time golf majors winner looked relaxed and happy alongside caddy Harry Diamond as he took to the driving range at the club in Louisville, Kentucky.Diamond was McIlroy’s best man at his wedding to Stoll in 2017 – a celebrity-packed affair at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland. McIlroy was not wearing his wedding ring as he hit the driving range.The golfer had said on Sunday that the ‘stars are aligning’ – just before he is thought to have filed the divorce papers in Palm Springs County, Florida, citing that his marriage had become ‘irretrievably broken’.The Northern Irishman first met 35-year-old New York state native Erica during the tournament in Illinois, at which she was working for the PGA. McIlroy and Stoll share three-year-old daughter Poppy Kennedy, who was born in 2020, having tied the knot in 2017 after a storybook meeting at the 2012 Ryder Cup.He has previously credited the American with helping him make his tee time at Medinah – thanks to a police escort – after he missed his alarm. He went on to win his match over Keegan Bradley as part of what was later hailed as the ‘miracle at Medinah’.Despite initially meeting at the Ryder Cup that year, it wasn’t until a few years later that the pair would enter a relationship.The Northern Irishman first met Erica during the 2012 Ryder Cup, which she was working at The Northern Irishman and Stoll tied the knot in 2017 The couple share a three-year-old daughter Poppy (pictured in 2021) who was born in 2020At one time, they lived in this 12,800-square-foot, £7.6million ($9.5million) mansion in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, before later moving down the road to JupiterMcIlroy bought the six-bedroom mansion in the golfing capital of Palm Beach in 2013 and put it up for sale with a $12.9million asking price in 2018The petition for divorce states that the pair had signed a prenuptial agreement. However, the details of the arrangement have not been divulgedA few months after calling off his engagement with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki in 2014, McIlroy and Stoll got together before getting engaged a year later. The four-time major champion and Stoll kept their relationship largely private before they married in a lavish ceremony in Ireland in 2017.The couple exchanged their vows at Ashford Castle in County Mayo, Ireland, in front of celebrity guests, including One Direction star Niall Horan and Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, while music icons Ed Sheeran and Stevie Wonder performed at the event.The petition for divorce states that the pair had signed a prenuptial agreement. However, the details of the arrangement have not been divulged.The filing also calls for shared custody and a parenting plan to be established for Poppy. McIlroy’s attorney was listed as Thomas Sasser, who represented Tiger Woods when his wife divorced him in 2010 after his serial cheating was infamously exposed in an episode that ended with Woos crashing his car into a fire hydrant and a tree.McIlroy is due to speak to the media on Wednesday afternoon at Valhalla. His team has issued a statement on his behalf confirming proceedings were underway.Sean O’Flaherty, McIlroy’s manager, said in a statement: ‘Rory McIlroy’s communications team confirmed today (Tuesday) that a divorce has been filed. ‘They stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.’ He added there would be no further comment.They are believed to have lived in a 12,800-square-foot, £7.6million ($9.5million) mansion in the golfing capital of Jupiter, Florida after McIlroy sold his plush Palm Beach Gardens mansion in 2018 for £9.5million ($11.9million).It has been reported the house, in an area that hosts a number of professional golfers, once belonged to golfing legend Ernie Els. Erica has regularly been spotted supporting her PGA husband at his tournaments, including the 2023 Ryder Cup in Rome where she wowed in a stunning, strapless black gown on the Spanish Steps. She was also on McIlroy’s bag for the Masters Par-3 competition with their daughter Poppy in 2023. However, the McIlroy family were notably absent from the traditional, annual event. Erica was on McIlroy’s bag for the Masters Par-3 event with their daughter Poppy in 2023The 35-year-old has regularly been spotted supporting her PGA husband at his tournamentsErica is pictured with Wendy Honner, the wife of Irish golfer Shane Lowry (second from left)Erica grew up in New York and graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2008 with a marketing degree. She went on to work for the Professional Golf Association of America.She was seen at The Players in March when the PGA Tour shared a heartwarming clip of she and Poppy greeting McIlroy on the 18th green. The golfer was seen scooping his daughter into his arms for a hug with Erica telling him they had been watching his birdie-birdie finish. And Erica was also seen supporting Rory throughout the second series of Netflix series Full Swing, which documented the 2023 PGA Tour.Scenes showed her cooling Rory off during an outburst and giving him a kiss as Team Europe took the lead in last year’s Ryder Cup.McIlroy infamously split from tennis star Wozniacki in 2014 just months before they were due to wed. The golfer is said to have dumped his then-fiancée in a three-minute phone call hours after telling her he loved her. Their split came in May 2014, before they were due to marry in November.McIlroy’s split from Wozniacki came days before the BMW PGA Championship in England, which he went on to win. At the same event the previous year, he tied for 96th place. He said in a statement at the time that he was not ready for marriage – and while he said he would not make any further comment he did answer questions at a press conference that followed ahead of the tournament.
