Rory McIlroy and wife Erica Stoll somehow managed to keep their new baby a secret for almost the duration of the pregnancy. Just days before the start of the Tour Championship at East Lake, McIlroy posted a photo on Twitter of their new baby girl, Poppy Kenny McIlroy, who was born on August 31.
“Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born August 31st, 12:15pm,” McIlroy announced on Twitter. “She is the absolute love of our lives. Mother and baby are doing great. Massive thank you to all the staff at Jupiter Medical Center and Dr Sasha Melendy for their amazing care ❤️❤️❤️.”
McIlroy revealed that he was prepared to miss the championship tournament, but Poppy arrived just in time for the golfer to be part of both events. As for keeping the news a secret, McIlroy called the birth a “private matter” but explained the couple was excited.
“Yeah, definitely, just depending on what happens,” McIlroy told The Telegraph prior to Poppy’s arrival. “I’m going to play in many more Tour Championships and it’s only going to be the birth of your first child once. That trumps anything else. …We’re about to be parents very soon, so we’re obviously super excited. Yeah, we’ve been sharing the news with friends and family, obviously, but I didn’t think it was something that I really particularly needed to share out here. It’s a private matter, but we’re really excited and can’t wait for her to get here.”
Here is a look at the couple’s new baby.
Rory Met Erica When She Worked for the PGA Tour
The couple initially met when Stoll was working at the PGA Tour. McIlroy is one of the top golfers in the world, but Stoll prefers to stay out of the spotlight. The couple got married in 2017 at the Ashford Castle in Ireland and did their best to keep the event private.
“We want to keep it to ourselves as much as we possibly can,” McIlroy told Irish Mirror. “Erica loves Ireland. It’s very similar to the place where she grew up, in Rochester, upstate New York, where it’s also very green and leafy.”
Rory on Being a Father: ‘The Best Part of Being a Human Being’
McIlroy is enjoying his new role as a father and admitted Poppy’s birth has been life changing. The golfer opened up about how Stoll’s pregnancy changed his life and referred to being a new dad as the “best part of being a human being.”
“There’s so much admiration for the mother, what they go through,” McIlroy explained, per PGA Tour. “And it’s just amazing that this – you feel like you get to know your baby while she’s still in her mother’s belly, but to go from not having met this person to having unconditional love for them, from one minute to the next, is just – there’s nothing like it in the world. …It’s probably the best part of being a human being, and I’m glad that I got to experience it.”
Since the PGA Tour resumed play, McIlroy has admittedly struggled to find his typical top form. McIlroy noted that he is hoping things can change on the golf course now that everything went smoothly with the couple’s new addition.
“It’s been hard to think about golf the last few days, just because I’ve been so focused on making sure that everything is okay at home,” McIlroy added. “But yeah, I mean, maybe this is what I needed, just for everything to happen and go well. I haven’t played my best since coming back out since sort of post-COVID. But yeah, maybe things just will fall into place. It’s already been the best week of my life, and this would obviously just be the icing on the cake.”
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Rory McIlroy & Wife Erica Stoll Reveal Surprise Baby Poppy