Rory McIlroy is back at the place where his wife Erica Stoll faced an unfortunate course accident. The U.S. Open takes place on Shinnecock Hills this year in New York.
The Long Island fans were not kind to him last year. At Bethpage Black, during the Ryder Cup, McIlroy faced massive hatred from the fans. They also didn’t spare Stoll.
Besides the slurs, one rowdy spectator threw a beer can in her direction, which hit her on the hat she was wearing. McIlroy didn’t take the incident lightly and immediately went to face the fans, but was pulled back.
The constant jeers from the fans also broke down Stoll and she was in tears after the incident, per The Mirror. When asked how he feels about returning to play in front of that same Long Island crowd, McIlroy answered candidly.
“Yeah. Was it a rough week for me at times? Absolutely. But it is what it is,” he said. “If that’s the price to pay to live the life that I’m living, then I’m okay with that.”
“The Ryder Cup is us versus them, very partisan. It’s just different,” he added.
Besides the Beer Incident, Fans Also Brought Up Rory McIlroy’s Cheating Rumors
GettyRory McIlroy kisses wife Erica Stoll during the Par Three Contest before the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
When McIlroy filed for divorce in 2024, many fans began speculating about the reasons. One allegation that stood out in particular involved CBS reporter Amanda Balionis.
The 37-year-old’s previous relationship also ended badly. Just days before his wedding, McIlroy broke up with his ex-girlfriend Caroline Wozniacki in 2014, after wedding invitations had already been sent.
Shortly afterward, he began dating Stoll, which earned McIlroy a lot of criticism. The way he handled the breakup, which happened over a phone call, was not what fans expected from someone of his stature.
“The problem is mine. The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realize that I wasn’t ready for all that marriage entails,” McIlroy said after the breakup.
And for that reason, it was easy to speculate on a scandal with Balionis. Fans kept chanting her name at Bethpage when McIlroy was playing on the course.
Despite the Rumors, McIlroy’s Marriage With Erica Stands Strong
GettyRory McIlroy of Team Europe and wife Erica Stoll McIlroy arrive for the Ryder Cup Teams’ Welcome Dinner.
Stoll has largely stayed out of the public spotlight. She and the two-time Masters winner have been working on mending their relationship in private.
They recently moved to London, where McIlroy purchased an estate in 2023. His motivation for doing so is his daughter, Poppy. He wants to give her a traditional British education.
The star has been quite vocal about valuing his daughter’s upbringing, and this decision aligns with his desire for her to be closer to his Northern Irish roots and the broader UK schooling system.
He and his wife, Erica, will spend their summers in Europe, away from the Florida heat.
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