Rory McIlroy's friends have £225m theory behind Erica Stoll divorce U-turn

Rory McIlroy's surprising decision to call off his divorce from Erica Stoll could have been based on the financial implications, if those close to the PGA Tour star are to be believed. A friend of the 35-year-old anonymously claimed that perhaps the reason for McIlroy's sudden divorce U-turn was because of the financial price he would pay.

Speaking with the Daily Mail, the source explained how McIlroy could see his fortune be affected as a result of a potential split with Stoll. "Perhaps, The cold realisation of exactly how much the divorce could cost him hit hard," the source said. 

'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."

It was reported that McIlroy had a net worth north of £200m, with a total worth of £225m. As such, he was named Northern Ireland's wealthiest young person for 2024, according to the Daily Mail. 

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The source added that while McIlroy calling off the divorce is not indicative of how the two feel about each other, the coming months will be more important. How McIlroy and Stoll approach the next handful of months could determine how their relationship pans out. 

"It's a cooling off period and the next six months will be telling as to whether they can properly patch up the relationship," continued the source. "There is also their three-year-old daughter Poppy to consider. Rory is a doting dad and he has strong family values."

Among the stipulations of the divorce would be that the two would be raising Poppy in one way or another. Additionally, the initial divorce filing claimed that McIlroy and Stoll had decided to separate because their relationship had been "irretrievably broken."

That said, it appears as if McIlroy's tone has changed in the weeks following filing for divorce from Stoll. In a statement released Tuesday, the 35-year-old explained the reason why he opted to make it work with the mother of his three-year-old daughter. 

“There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool’s game,” his statement read, per The Guardian. "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.”

One such rumour surrounding McIlroy was that he had been building a relationship with CBS Sports presenter Amanda Balionis. In the weeks following reports of McIlroy's divorce, Balionis was spotted getting very close to the Northern Irish golf star. 

Balionis also dropped Renner from her titles, the last name of her husband Bryn Renner. Renner was a former NFL quarterback. 

The rumours of Balionis and McIlroy having a relationship were further perpetuated after the former was spotted without her wedding ring at numerous points. For now, McIlroy is focused on winning the U.S. Open which tees off Thurdsay. 

“I’m really proud of my body of work over the past 15 years and everything that I have achieved, whether it be season-long titles or individual tournaments or majors,” McIlroy said of his odds. "Obviously getting my hands on a fifth major has taken quite a while, but I’m more confident than ever that I’m right there, that I’m as close as I’ve ever been.”