Golf pro Rory Mcllroy has already started work on rebuilding himself and his marriage after taking time away from the spotlight following one of the "toughest" times of his life.
McIlroy should have been preparing for the Travelers Championship this weekend in Connecticut, but his days are being spent in an entirely different way after he decided he needed time out to reflect on his humiliating defeat at the US Open.
The Northern Irishman took to social media to announce his withdrawal from the final Signature Event of the PGA TOUR's season following his heartbreak in North Carolina, at the hands of Bryson DeChambeau.
He opened up on what had been the worst day of his career saying: "Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I've had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer. Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Bryson. He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that."
On his US Open performance, he admitted: "As I reflect on my week, I'll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the 2 missed putts on 16 and 18 on the final day. But, as I always try to do, I'll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives."
Jermain Defoe sparks marriage split fear after spending Christmas away from wife
Rory McIlroy was spotted with his wife Erica Stoll just hours after his crushing US Open loss (Backgrid/MEGA)Announcing that he planned to take a "few weeks away" Rory immediately fled to the sprawling $22million Florida mansion he shares with wife Erica Stoll and three year old daughter Poppy. Just the following day, they were pictured on a family day out at the Loggerhead Marinelife Center near their Jupiter home and smiled at their daughter as they walked to their car. It’s the first time the couple, who were wearing their wedding rings, have been spotted together since their own battles hit the headlines after they announced they were ending their marriage.
Rory, who had just won the Wells Fargo Championship on May 12, filed for divorce from his wife of seven years the following day claiming his marriage was "irretrievably broken".
During his rift with Erica, speculation was rife around Rory and CBS Sports presenter Amanda Balionis. The glamorous broadcaster was seen without her wedding band and shared a consoling embrace with Rory post-Canadian Open earlier this month.
Stoll caddied for McIlroy at the 2023 Masters (Getty Images)However, any rumours were put to bed after the warring husband and wife made a spectacular U-turn and decided they were going to give their marriage another shot. "There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate," Rory told The Guardian . "Responding to each rumour is a fool's game. Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning."
While the bizarre turn of events puzzled many, there was talk that the financial implications of a divorce for one of the richest golfers in the world with a net worth of £200 million may have played a part in their decision to remain united. Friends of the star reportedly claimed he was concerned about losing the majority of his fortune through the divorce.
"Perhaps, the cold realisation of exactly how much the divorce could cost him hit hard," one friend told the Daily Mail. "McIlroy has amassed a fortune of more than £200m and his projected earnings in his career are predicted to be more than double that figure.
"Surely he didn't want to see all that money he's accrued diminish. It would have felt like a huge waste if millions ended up in the pockets of lawyers."
According to the the couple had previously been having marriage counselling and met up every weekend for four weeks after Rory filed. A source told the paper they initially talked about how they would go about co-parenting their daughter but they eventually decided to reunite.
Rory now has the time to work on rebuilding his marriage and process his golfing loss before making his comeback in Scotland at the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon. He remains optimistic about his career as he pointed out when he announced his break: "As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have. The one word that I could describe my career as is resilient. I've shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again.
"I’m going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defence of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon. See you in Scotland."
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