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Rory McIlroy has long been one of golf’s biggest stars, and after years of chasing a win at The Masters Tournament, he finally added the coveted green jacket to his résumé in 2025, securing his place among the sport’s most elite players.
He’s kept that momentum going, too. Rory won the 2026 Masters on April 12, successfully defending his title and earning his second green jacket.
Off the course, the Irish sports icon has had the support of his wife, Erica Stoll, and their daughter, Poppy. As Erica continues to play a key role in Rory’s life, take a closer look at their relationship below.
Is Erica Irish too?
Rory was born in Northern Ireland, but his stunning wife is American. Erica was born in Irondequoit, New York in 1988 and graduated from West Irondequoit in 2003, according to the Democrat & Chronicle.
Rory & Erica’s Meet-Cute Included a Police Escort
Rory and Erica met by chance in 2012. She basically woke him up when he overslept for his tee time at the Ryder Cup! “Stoll was at the course and noticed McIlroy’s absence that Sunday morning of the final day’s singles matches,” the Democrat & Chronicle reported. “She alerted officials and McIlroy received a police escort to get to the course.”
Before meeting the love of his life, Rory was engaged to Danish tennis professional Caroline Wozniacki from 2013 to 2014.
Rory Loves The Fact That Erica Lives A ‘Normal Life’
“The thing I love about it is that we were friends before anything romantic happened,” Rory said of his relationship with Erica to the Irish Sunday Independent in 2017. “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!’”
Rory went on to explain that he felt like Erica never judged him, something he said was hard to find in a partner because of his fame as a pro athlete. “There was no judgement from day one, which is huge, because that’s very hard to find for someone in my position,” he said.
Rory Defended His ‘American Girlfriend’ After A Verbal Attack
During the 2016 Ryder Cup, an American fan began verbally attacking the Irish golf star, as HollywoodLife reported at the time. Rory was walking on the golf course when the spectator began yelling at him, screaming, “suck a d***!” Fortunately, before things escalated, the fan was promptly thrown out of the tournament grounds!
“Obviously it’s unfortunate because I think that 85 percent of the people are great and I love playing in America,” he said at the time. “My girlfriend is American. But that 15 percent that is really bad, it makes them look bad. And I feel ashamed for my girlfriend, because I know how bad she feels when she hears all the things, but it is what it is. It’s as simple as that.”
Rory & Erica’s Wedding Guest List Included Stars From One Direction, U2 & Coldplay
In April 2017, the couple finally tied the knot at Ashford Castle, a 350-acre estate in Ireland, according to The Washington Post. The outlet reported that the wedding guests included One Direction star Niall Horan, Ed Sheeran, members of U2 and Coldplay’s Chris Martin. Stevie Wonder and Sheeran performed at the reception. The tab for the nuptials was expected to run $1.2 million, according to Golfweek. The couple would go on to welcome Poppy, their only child, in 2020.
