McIlroy at Masters with Family After Relationship Biography

Rory McIlroy arrived at Augusta National Golf Club this week with his wife, Erica Stoll, and their daughter, Poppy, as he prepares to defend his Masters title, just days after the release of a new biography that sheds light on the early days of his relationship with Stoll.

The book, "Rory: The Heartache and Triumph of Golf's Most Human Superstar" by journalist Alan Shipnuck, published on April 7, 2026, details how McIlroy first met Stoll in 2012 at the Ryder Cup in Medinah, Illinois. Stoll, then a PGA of America employee, arranged a police escort for the golfer after he overslept and nearly missed his tee time. According to staff members interviewed for the book, McIlroy showed immediate interest in Stoll, with one former PGA Tour employee stating he was "throwing every ounce of game he had at Erica. It was not subtle." The interactions became a lighthearted topic among Ryder Cup personnel, who exchanged messages in group chats with winking emojis questioning if McIlroy had "closed the deal."

At the time, McIlroy was in a relationship with tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, whom he dated from 2011 to 2014. The couple announced their engagement in December 2013, but McIlroy ended...