Rory McIlroy had plenty of people to thank after finally winning his first Masters title, but his wife, Erica Stoll, wasn’t one of them when he sat down with CBS’ Amanda Balionis.
McIlroy, 35, completed the career grand slam with his Masters victory on Sunday, April 13, thanks in large part to his “incredible support system the whole way throughout my life.”
“As an only child, the support that I had from my parents — they saw some potential in me as a golfer and they gave me every opportunity to try to fulfill that potential,” McIlroy told Balionis, 38, in the interview posted on Monday, April 14. “Talking to them on the phone after I won, my mom probably still hasn’t stopped crying.”
McIlroy said he has a “close-knit village” surrounding him, including his childhood friend and caddie, Harry Diamond, and his 4-year-old daughter, Poppy.
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“To have Poppy there — I want to make her proud,” McIlroy said. “I want her to be able to experience these things. I said on the green during the trophy presentation, I hadn’t given up for 17 years. I think that’s a really good lesson for any young boy or girl who was watching. To never give up on your dreams and to keep fighting for it. If you do the work and you put in the effort that you can achieve anything.”
He added, “Hopefully, Poppy saw that today.”
While McIlroy didn’t mention Stoll in his interview, she and Poppy were both on hand to celebrate with him after his dramatic sudden-death victory over Justin Rose.
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McIlroy and Stoll got married in 2017, though the couple briefly split last year after McIlroy filed for divorce in May 2024. The golfer called off the divorce just one month later.
During that time, rumors about a romance between McIlroy and Balionis began gaining traction. However, Us Weekly exclusively reported in May 2024 that the two were not dating.
McIlroy’s triumph at the Masters came after more than a decade of blown chances and disappointing finishes at the famed tournament. He told Balionis the win was “worth the wait.”
“I don’t think I realized how much that burden had built up year after year coming back trying to complete the slam,” he admitted. “All the narrative and noise that comes along with that each and every Masters, feeling like you’re the center of attention and feeling like people are saying, ‘This is going to be your year and you’re going to get it done.’”
