Rory McIlroy pictured back with wife after US Open heartbreak and divorce U-turn

Rory McIlroy was pictured in the company of his wife Erica Stoll and their daughter Poppy less than 24 hours after his U.S. Open dreams were dashed. McIlroy suffered a one-shot defeat to LIV Golf's Bryson DeChambeau after a tense finish at Pinehurst No.2. 

The 35-year-old PGA Tour star was seen licking his wounds alongside Stoll, marking their first public outing since a shock reversal on their impending divorce last week. The news they had withdrawn divorce proceedings, initially filed last month, emerged on the eve of golf's latest major tournament. 

In the wake of calling off the divorce, McIlroy opened up about his decision to build bridges. He told The Guardian: "There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. 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."

Despite Rory McIlroy's public statements, insiders claim financial concerns influenced his decision to halt divorce proceedings. Sources close to the golfer told the Daily Mail that McIlroy faced losing a significant portion of his fortune to legal fees and other costs.

"Perhaps, the cold realisation of exactly how much the divorce could cost him hit hard," one 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."

The upcoming months are crucial for McIlroy and Erica Stoll, as they will determine the future of their relationship.

"It's a cooling off period and the next six months will be telling as to whether they can properly patch up the relationship. There is also their three-year-old daughter Poppy to consider. Rory is a doting dad and he has strong family values," added the insider. Despite the challenges, the couple seems committed to working on their marriage.

After a disappointing finish at the US Open, McIlroy was seen quickly leaving the course to return to the Florida home he shares with Stoll, despite recent divorce filings describing their marriage as "irreversibly broken" before the papers were withdrawn. 

It has been claimed that the couple held secret talks in an effort to mend their fractured relationship. According to The Irish Independent, the pair met privately at least four times to work through their issues.

Stoll reportedly declined to meet with a solicitor and instead engaged in regular lengthy discussions with McIlroy, which ultimately contributed to salvaging their marriage. She now stands by him as he grapples with another close call at a major, a disappointment that will undoubtedly sting.

McIlroy was tantalisingly close to ending his decade-long drought for a major win. DeChambeau clinched the tournament by a mere one stroke following two pivotal errors from the Northern Irish golfer.

Most strikingly, McIlroy failed to sink a putt from less than three feet on the 16th hole, marking the first time he's missed such a short putt in nearly 500 attempts this year. On the final hole, McIlroy missed another short putt which sealed his fate, dashing his hopes of clinching the title.

After witnessing DeChambeau's final shot to clinch the win, McIlroy promptly exited Pinehurst. DeChambeau offered words of encouragement for McIlroy, saying: "Rory is one of the best to ever play. Being able to fight against a great like that is pretty special. For him to miss that putt, I'd never wish it on anybody. It just happened to play out that way."

"He'll win multiple more major championships. There's no doubt. I think that fire in him is going to continue to grow."