Rory McIlroy returns to mansion shared with Erica Stoll just hours after US Open agony
Rory McIlroy returned home to Florida less than three hours after he agonisingly missed out on winning his fifth major championship at the U.S. Open in North Carolina on Sunday.
McIlroy looked set to end his 10-year wait for a victory on the major stage, but was pipped by Bryson DeChambeau by a single shot. Despite starting the final round three shots behind DeChambeau, an impressive Sunday performance saw the Northern Irishman clear by two with just five holes to play.
Three frustrating bogeys however would follow, most notably at the par-four 16th, where the 35-year-old missed a putt from inside three-feet, the first time he had failed to convert from that range in 497 attempts this season.
Another short miss then followed at the 18th, in what will have proven to be a bitter pill to swallow for McIlroy. If converted, the PGA Tour star would have played his way into a playoff with DeChambeau, who made par minutes later to ensure it him taking home the U.S. Open title.
Having watched his rival drain the winning putt, McIlroy wasted no time in hanging around, leaving the Pinehurst site within minutes after being spotted driving away in the car park. Just a few hours later, his private jet was tracked landing in Florida, where he was expected to have returned to his home in Jupiter.
The mansion is shared with his wife Erica Stoll, and the pair's relationship has become a huge talking point over the past month. Prior to the PGA Championship in May, it was revealed that McIlroy had filed for divorce in the state of Florida, which was set to end his seven-year marriage with Stoll.
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Rory McIlroy missed out on the U.S. Open title
Per the divorce papers, it was stated that their relationship was 'irreversibly broken' with a statement from McIlroy's team confirming the news. "Rory McIlroy's communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed," it read a the time They stressed Rory's desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible. He will not be making any further comment."
Heading into last week's U.S. Open though, it was confirmed by McIlroy himself that he and Stoll had decided to cancel the divorce, in a bid to rebuild their relationship. The European star told The Guardian. "There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool's game," he said.
"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." McIlroy and Stoll have one child together, three-year-old Poppy who was born in August 2020.