Rory McIlroy pictured with wife, Erica Stoll, at the 2018 Wimbledon tournament.
Rory McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, is a regular at PGA Tour events but prefers to remain out of the spotlight. From keeping McIlroy from missing his tee time to encouraging him after difficult losses, Stoll has played a key role in McIlroy’s performance on the course. During the early years of their relationship, McIlroy explained why Stoll prefers to keep a low profile.
“Erica has been around me quite a lot at tournaments but we have really just tried to keep it low key,” McIlroy told The Independent in 2015. “She is a very low key person, not the kind to broadcast stuff, but that side of my life is really good just now. We are excited, our parents are excited so it is a really happy time.”
After dating pro tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, McIlroy was looking for someone who did not share the same sort of celebrity status as he does. McIlroy met Stoll while she was working for the PGA Tour. It was Stoll who helped keep McIlroy from missing his 2012 Ryder Cup tee time.
“I thought at the time that being with someone that was in a similar position to you was the obvious answer,” McIlroy explained to The Independent in 2017. “But it isn’t, because you can never get away from it. You can never detach yourself and try to come back to the real world. And that’s why I feel in such a good place now. I don’t feel Erica wants to change me in any way. I can be myself around her; there’s no bulls—, no acting, no show.”
Erica Helped Rory Snap Out of a Funk After Losing the 2018 Masters
GettyRory McIlroy pictured with his wife Erica Stoll prior to the 2018 Ryder Cup Gala.
McIlroy just missed out on winning the 2018 Masters and is still looking for his first green jacket. The golfer admitted to going through a difficult stretch after coming up short at Augusta. McIlroy found himself in a bit of a rut as he binge-watched shows and drank red wine. It was Stoll who helped him move forward and get out of the house.
“But it got to the point where Erica had to drag me out of the house,” Rory noted to the New York Post. “She just said we’re going to go out and do something. And once I got back into my routine, I was fine. Before, there were a few quiet moments when you catch yourself thinking back on the round, even though I was trying to immerse myself in anything but golf.”
Rory Describes Erica as a “Calming Presence” in His Life
GettyErica Stoll looks on at a 2018 PGA Tour event.
The couple got married in 2017 at an Irish castle with a celebration that included performances from Stevie Wonder and Ed Sheeran. Several fellow golfers were in attendance including Sergio Garcia and Shane Lowry, per The Independent.
Stoll is not active on social media and stays out of the spotlight as much as possible. During a 2015 interview with The Independent, McIlroy described Stoll as a “calming presence” in his life.
“For me, Erica brings such a level of normality to everything,” McIlroy told The Independent. “She has a calming presence, a sereneness and that’s not just on me; it is noticeable in any company. She never wants to be the center of attention and is always very comfortable in the background.”
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Rory McIlroy’s Wife, Erica Stoll, Offers Golfer a ‘Calming Presence’