Rory McIlroy Credits Wife Erica Stoll For Scottish Open Performance
Rory McIlroy is showing signs of his Masters winning form at the Scottish Open this weekend. After completing the Grand Slam in April, he fell into a drought with consecutive underperformances in several events.
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The World No. 2 claimed the top spot on the leaderboard after the third round, with a score of 11-under par. Fans on the course loved seeing his renewed form, one that McIlroy attributes to the time he spent with his wife, Erica Soll.
"It's my first realistic chance to win after the Masters, and I've had a great season. I won at Pebble. I won PLAYERS." McIlroy said on Saturday.
"I think I just needed that little bit of time. And to be back here for last couple weeks, and feel like I could actually digest all of it. I feel like I came to this tournament with renewed enthusiasm and excitement for the rest of the year."
Rory McIlroy kisses his daughter Poppy on the forehead as his wife Erica Stoll watches.© Doug Engle-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
"That" time he refers to was spent with Erica at his new home, the Wentworth Estate, where he invested approximately $12 million for renovation.
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"We came back a few weeks ago and moved into our new home in Wentworth and have been trying to settle in. It's amazing what two weeks of a bit of detachment can do for you," he detailed earlier this week.
"Sitting there being with your own thoughts for a while. Yeah, it's been nice to have this time to reflect and also to rekindle my excitement and enthusiasm for the rest of the year. Obviously, we have this week in Scotland and then a massive week next week in Portrush."
Back in May 2024, divorce rumors arose surrounding the couple. Fans speculated that these personal problems were the reason behind his poor performance and shaky mental state in the PGA Championship and later events.
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But the couple worked their issues out and now Erica is back to supporting McIlroy.
Related: PGA Tour Announced Unfortunate News About Golfer at Scottish Open
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 12, 2025, where it first appeared.
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