LIV Golf League player Ian Poulter posted a cryptic message as PGA Tour Jay Monahan delivered an update on PIF talks.
Ian Poulter posted a cryptic message as PGA Tour boss Jay Monahan delivered an ‘update’ on peace talks with LIV Golf’s financiers.
Monahan spoke to reporters before the Tour Championship where the most pressing topic was how discussions are going with the breakaway tour’s financial backers.
The PGA Tour commissioner offered little of substance, but he insisted that negotiations between the North American circuit and the Saudi PIF continue to move forward.
Monahan stressed the Tour was not going to negotiate in public and there is no set deadline for a deal to be ratified that would ‘bring the best players in the world back together’.
Poulter was a keen observer to Monahan’s news conference and reacted in real time on his Instagram stories.
The European Ryder Cup legend wrote: “I just have to laugh and sigh at the same time. Sad.
“I wonder if anyone will have the balls to question it or pull it apart.
“I bet they don’t. Let’s wait and see. IYKYK.”
“Or are the puppets going to be puppets? I wonder.”
Poulter added that ‘none of them’ have the [sic] to actually do their jobs.”
The Englishman was among the first wave of golfers to join LIV Golf in 2022.
He has consistently criticised the PGA Tour, Monahan and former DP World Tour chief executive Keith Pelley.
It’s not just Poulter who is appears to be at his wit’s end.
A frustrated Rory McIlroy also complained about the lack of progress that has been made after his opening round at the season finale at East Lake.
“I think anyone that cares about golf, I think has to be frustrated,” the 35-year-old said.
“I think anyone that cares about the PGA Tour has to be frustrated because we’re—we, the royal we, we’re not putting forward the absolute best product that we can.”
McIlroy said the Tour needs its villains back.
“I just think it’s gone on long enough,” he added.
“We’ve got to try to, I mean, I think everyone is trying to find a solution.
Irish golfer starts seven shots behind the world number one at the Tour Championship, with a $25 million-winning FedEx Cup prize in sight
If not quite the promised land, Shane Lowry – finally – has reached the famed East Lake Golf Club in the suburbs of Atlanta where the megabucks Tour Championship closes the PGA Tour’s season. After years of effort, he gets to be a part of the great divvy-up.
“It’s almost embarrassing that I haven’t been here,” admitted Lowry, adding. “It’s always a goal at the start of the year and, thankfully, this year I got to achieve it.”
Lowry’s strong campaign stateside – highlighted, to date, by teaming-up with Rory McIlroy to win the Zurich Classic in New Orleans in a season which has yielded six top-10s – has the Offaly man placed in 13th of the 30-man field headed into the opening round of the Tour Championship and, like everyone, playing catch-up to world number one Scottie Scheffler as the tournament has a staggered reward system in play.
In Lowry’s case, he will start out seven shots behind Scheffler. In the case of Rory McIlroy, he will be six adrift.
“I give shots to my friends every day at home, but my friends are not Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele. I think, yeah, it is new, but a good start the first day and you’re back in the tournament … in my head I’m seeing it as like a five-round event that I’ve got three-under the first round and I’m seven back of the leader and I need to kind of pick away at that over the four days and see where it leaves me on Sunday,” explained Lowry of how he would approach the task of playing catch-up.
But it can be done. In 2022, McIlroy – in claiming a third FedEx Cup title – started the Tour Championship six shots behind Scheffler and won by one.
Indeed, Lowry’s long-time failure to reach East Lake could, ironically, be in his favour on finally managing to earn a place in the field. The course has undergone a remarkable transformation since Viktor Hovland triumphed a year ago, to the point that players have likened it to playing a brand new course.
“Everybody keeps saying how different it is, but it’s obviously just a new golf course for me, so I don’t really know anything different, which is great.
“It’s great to hear the lads moaning about it inside the locker room, and I’m happy with what I see. It’s going to play quite difficult. If you miss fairways you’re going to struggle to make pars, and it’s going to be hard to get the ball close to the pins.
“It’ll be interesting to see how it plays. But new golf courses always play really firm and fast, and that’s what this is doing. It’s in great shape. The chipping areas and the greens and everything about the place is in great shape. It should make for a great tournament,” said Lowry, who has expended a lot of energy in an exhausting schedule which has seen him play four straight weeks – Olympics, Wyndham, St Jude and BMW – with this tour finale making for a fifth.
Of that schedule, Lowry claimed: “I’m pretty tired, but I think I’ve managed myself pretty well over the last five weeks. I’m feeling okay. Look, my adrenaline [levels], if you can’t get up for a tournament like this and you can’t keep it going for four days on a week like this you’re in the wrong game, so I’ll be fine.”
The €89 million ($100m) pot of gold to be divvied up between the 30 players – with the winner getting the lion’s share (€22.3m/$25m) – would certainly provide the perfect antidote to any tiredness and Lowry’s upcoming schedule will continue to be demanding as he intends to shift course to Europe for a spell that takes in the Amgen Irish Open, the BMW PGA and the Spanish Open.
“I’ve just done three weeks away from my family, my kids. I’m about to do another good run going back to Europe. That’s probably the most difficult part for me. It’s nothing to do with the fatigue levels and the getting up for golf, but when you’re FaceTiming your kids and they’re asking you when you’re going to be home and it’s not going to be for another three weekends, that always gets hard.
“But it is what it is; that’s what we have to do. Going back to play the Irish Open and Wentworth is going to be two big tournaments for me. The Irish Open means a lot to me, and Wentworth, I’ve done quite well there in the past and I really love the tournament.
“Going back and playing in those and then Madrid the week after, I have a big stint away, but after that I’ll have some time off. I’ll have plenty of time off this winter to get ready for 2025. But I have still a lot of golf to play.”
And, in money terms, none as big as this week.
Tour Championship
Purse: €89 million (€22.3m to the winner)
Where: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
The course: East Lake Golf Club – 7,490 yards par 71 – has been home to the Tour Championship since it was introduced in 2007 and, of course, was the home course of the legendary Bobby Jones. Some things have changed since Viktor Hovland triumphed last year, however. Andrew Green – who has established quite a reputation as a course architect/renovator – was commissioned to bring the course back to how it was in Jones’ day and used aerial photographs from 1949 along with archival photographs to do so. The project took just 10 months to complete and also features new grasses on fairways and greens while the 14th has been extended to a par 5.
“It’s basically a new golf course from what it was before. It’s not really at all the same. The greens, since they’re new, are extremely firm, which I think makes it more challenging. It’ll be tough to access some of the hole locations. I think we’ll have a bit to learn in terms of golf course set-up,” claimed Scottie Scheffler of his first impressions of the remake.
The field: The end game of the season and of the FedEx Cup playoffs leaves just 30 players remaining for the Tour Championship and FedEx Cup titles. Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, begins with a head start on everyone. Scheffler is 10 under before hitting a ball, with Xander Schauffele on eight under and Hideki Matsuyama on seven under … Rory McIlroy is playing catchup from four under, while Shane Lowry starts on three under.
Quote-Unquote: “If last year was a nine out of 10, I’d probably say we’re still at a five, four out of 10 right now. I know I can still shoot good numbers, but it just feels like it’s a little bit more hard work. It’s tougher for me to kind of string the good rounds together day by day.” – defending champion Viktor Hovland comparing his game with 12 months ago.
Irish in the field: Rory McIlroy – a three-time winner of the FedEx Cup – is paired with Ryder Cup team-mate Ludvig Aberg (Thursday, 6.38pm Irish time); Shane Lowry, competing in the Tour Championship for the first time, is paired with Adam Scott (5.49pm).
Betting: Most of the time, Scottie Scheffler doesn’t require a head-start to get the job done. So, with a two-stroke lead from the off over Xander Schauffele and all of 10 on a quintet of players that includes Justin Thomas, it is no wonder to find the Olympic gold medallist installed as the red hot 11-10 favourite with Schauffele at 23-10 … still, it may be worth looking at Sam Burns – available at 33-1 – who starts out six back.
On TV: Live coverage on Sky Sports+ from 4.15pm and on Sky Sports Golf from 6pm.
Rory McIlroy’s brutal season continued this past weekend after finishing tied 68th place at the FedEx St Jude Championship while struggling after naming himself ‘golf’s nearly man’
Rory McIlroy had one of the worst performances of his career at the FedEx St Jude Championship this past weekend in what can only be described as a worrying showing.
McIlroy finished in 68th place with Jordan Speith and Max Homa surprisingly playing just as poorly – the only two men to have finished below him. The Northern Irishman finished the tournament in Memphis with some worrying statistics, including having the second-worst driving week of his career (-4.015), the 21st-worst approach week of his career (-3.126), and the third-worst putting week of his career (-7.833).
The world number three finished at nine-over-par – a whopping 26 shots more than winner Hideki Matsuyama to drop him to fifth in the FedEx Cup standings while being 3,974 points behind leader Scottie Scheffler.
McIlroy made only one birdie on Sunday with his brutal round including a triple-bogey six at the par-three 14th after he sent his tee shot flying into the water.
Earlier last week, McIlroy stated that he’d begin to think of himself as the sport’s ‘nearly man’ after his recent disappointments at the US Open and Olympics.
This coming after coming agonisingly close to ending his 10-year wait for another major tournament win after he bogeyed three of his last four holes including missing a two-foot putt as Bryson DeChambeau won his second US Open. Just weeks later, McIlroy looked to be in line to win a medal for Ireland at the Olympics but ultimately fell to shots short.
Speaking prior to the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis, Tennessee, McIlroy told reporters: ” I just have to finish off tournaments better. There’s been glimpses where I have done it, like Quail Hollow, for example, but obviously US Open, you know, Olympics.
“Yeah, I just, it’s just sort of, I feel like this year, maybe the last couple of years, I’ve just found a way to hit the wrong shot at the wrong time. That might go into preparation and trying to practice a little more under pressure at home. You know, you go through these things in golf, and you go through these little challenges, and you just have to try to figure out a way to get through it.
“And my challenge right now is, is that it’s, it’s really good, but not quite good enough to to sort of take home the silverware,” he continued, as he acknowledged that he has been doing some soul searching. “So it’s just, you know, something I’m having to work through.”
For all his dominance in 2024, Scottie Scheffler can be toppled by the likes of Rory McIlroy in the PGA Tour play-offs – which unsurprisingly splits their opinions of the format
The PGA Tour ‘s play-offs have completely divided opinion between Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler.
Scheffler has been by far and away the best PGA golfer this year. But the world No. 1’s six victories in 2024 only give him a shots-based advantage in the three tournaments, which determine the Tour champion.
The top 50 in the FedEx Cup points standings after the St. Jude Championship this weekend will advance to next week’s BMW Championship, where that number will be whittled down to 30 for the concluding Tour Championship.
With 5,993 points, Scheffler is nearly 2,000 points ahead of closest rival Xander Schauffele on 4,057, and he’s got more than double McIlroy’s 2,545. But they’ve got a chance to catch up to him on the course, with the final winner of the FedEx Cup season claiming the trophy.
Given his dominance, Scheffler isn’t a fan of how it’s decided. “I talked about it the last few years. I think it’s silly,” he said. “You can’t call it a season-long race and have it come down to one tournament. Hypothetically, we get to East Lake (host of the Tour Championship) and my neck flares up and it doesn’t heal the way it did at The Players.
“I finish 30th in the FedExCup because I had to withdraw from the last tournament, is that really the season-long race? No. It’s a fun tournament. I don’t really consider it the season-long race like I think the way it’s called. But you’ve got to figure out a way to strike a balance between it being a good TV product and it still being a season-long race.
“Right now, I don’t know exactly how the ratings are or anything like that, but I know for a fact you can’t really quite call it the season-long race when it comes down to one stroke-play tournament on the same golf course each year.”
Barring any issues, Scheffler will start the Tour Championship on 10 under, at least two better than anyone else. But that hasn’t helped him triumph in the last two years. In 2022, he threw away a six-stroke lead and allowed McIlroy to claim a record third FedEx Cup.
Last year, he shot just one under overall and was 16 behind the champion Viktor Hovland. Scheffler’s frustration is likely heightened by the huge money on offer for the winner – $25million (£19m), which is not far off his record-breaking total earnings this year in excess of $28m (£22m).
McIlroy, on the other hand, is a fan. “I love this format because if it wasn’t this format, then none of us would have a chance against Scottie because he’s so far ahead,” he admitted. “So I really like this format. I think it makes the Tour Championship more exciting from a consumer standpoint.
“Is it the fairest reflection of who’s been the best player of the year? Probably not. But I think at this point we’re not in for totally fair; we’re in for entertainment and for trying to put on the best product we possibly can.”
Jon Rahm has not enjoyed the same level of success since joining LIV Golf last year and is allegedly open to returning to the PGA Tour – even if it means giving up his millions
Jon Rahm is ready to do whatever it takes to make a comeback to the PGA Tour, it’s been claimed.
Rahm could even hand back some of his LIV Golf cash to play alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler again. A “veteran tour insider” claims that Rahm is having second thoughts about his switch to the Saudi-backed league.
“I am 100 percent positive that if Jon could give the money back to the Saudis and come back to the tour, he couldn’t write the check fast enough,” the anonymous source told Golf Digest.
Not too long ago, Rahm was dazzling as one of the bright new stars on the PGA Tour. He racked up more than $70million (£54m) in career earnings across the PGA Tour and DP World Tour, and he enjoyed a prestigious stint as World No.1 for over 50 weeks. His 11 PGA victories include triumphs at the Masters and US Open.
However, since his 2023 leap to LIV Golf, Rahm’s performances and fan engagement have not mirrored his previous heights. “Now there are only four times a year when he’s playing that anybody is remotely interested,” the insider added. “He thought his stature in the game was secure no matter where he was playing, and it was a bad miscalculation.”
Barring last month’s Open – where Rahm tied for seventh at 3-under – the 29-year-old has had a tough time in this year’s majors. He just made the cut at the Masters, ending up T45, didn’t make it through the PGA Championship and had to pull out of the US Open due to a foot infection.
Before the Open, former European Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley suggested that Rahm’s lacklustre performances might be down to his rumoured dissatisfaction with LIV Golf, which was rumoured to sign him for upwards of $500m ($386.3m).
“He’s not on the cutting edge the way he was,” McGinley said. “His performances in majors are showing that. I don’t think he’s in a happy place; he doesn’t look content on the golf course.”
Rahm’s start to 2024 wasn’t stellar, failing to clinch a win in any of the first 10 LIV events, though he did tie for third in Adelaide and Nashville. Yet last month he triumphed in the LIV UK, bagging a tournament win for the eighth year running.
In recent months, Rahm hasn’t held back on suggesting improvements for LIV Golf. This April, he criticised the event format, pushing for a change from the 54-hole tournaments with a shotgun start to a full 72. “The closer we can get LIV to do some of these things, the better,” Rahm commented.
But things went south quickly and, by the time he reached the 7th tee he was already 6-over for the day and thinking of holiday destinations.
He likely was thinking of how he was going to have to spend the next nine months being asked the same questions about whether or not he’ll ever win The Masters.
McIlroy pointed out there was still a lot to play for, such as the Olympic Games, FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai.
But we all know what he cares most about, don’t we?
Legacy, history and an annual seat at the table next to Tiger Woods at Augusta National.
Now we have arrived at 10 August 2024.
The date marks the beginning of a second decade in McIlroy’s bid for a fifth major championship.
His last major triumph came as a bushy-haired 25-year-old when he claimed the PGA Championship in darkness at Valhalla.
Few would have expected that a drought this long was to follow but this is where we are.
Since that day in Louisville, Kentucky, 39 men’s major championships have been played and won by 26 different players.
Some golfers in the same generation as McIlroy have won multiple times in that span.
Brooks Koepka is now a five-time major champion.
Jon Rahm has won two.
Bryson DeChambeau battled back from wrist and hip injuries to claim his second major at the 2024 U.S. Open.
Now McIlroy has Scottie Scheffler and an increasingly confident Xander Schauffele to contend with.
There’s also a young Swede by the name of Ludvig Aberg who the Ulsterman will be wary of.
At 35 years old, you could argue that McIlroy is now teeing it up on the back nine of his career.
But he’ll take solace from the fact that, providing he takes care of his body and remains focussed he’ll have plenty more chances of glory.
And he’ll take note of the history books.
Phil Mickelson was 34 years old when he got his hands on his first major in golf, 12 years after he made his professional debut.
Lefty went on to win five more, including the 2021 PGA Championship when he became the oldest major winner in history at 50 years, 11 months and seven days.
But this is a young man’s game.
Who knows what’s in store for the next chapter of McIlroy’s career.
Whatever comes to pass, we know it will be a captivating watch.
Today marks the beginning of a second decade in Rory McIlroy's hunt for a fifth major championship.
McIlroy was 25 years old when he hoisted the Wanamaker Trophy at Valhalla on this day 10 years ago at the PGA Championship. pic.twitter.com/XNm1LY4lUN
McIlroy has made no secret of the fact that winning The Masters is the ultimate goal.
He would complete the career grand slam and join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Gary Player as the only golfers to win each and every major.
“I’d love to win The Masters,” McIlroy told reporters at the turn of the year.
“It’s the only major that I haven’t won.
“St Andrews is where the game started, but Augusta has become this cathedral of golf in some way, and all the greats of the game have won there in the past.
“It’s the only major that we go back to each year on the same golf course.
“It seems like it gets bigger and bigger every year, and it’s the first major of the year too – it’s more hyped up.”
There is nothing “un-complicated” about the concept of divorce and the necessary steps it takes for one to get to the final decision of it. But rarely do you see an entire retraction of the filing…except for the famous Northern Irish PGA Pro Golfer, Rory McIlroy, in the last few weeks. What a wild ride he must be on, and just days away from the 2024 Paris Olympics.
When first diving behind the complex decisions Rory has made for his heart over the years, one would almost assume the worst. Back in 2013, McIlroy, about to tie the knot to Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, had just sent out official wedding invites but to no avail. After just a 5-month engagement, Rory broke Wozniacki’s heart over a 3-minute phone call while on tour, where we can only assume cliche lines like “it’s not you, I just need to focus on my career” were given.
The tennis star was left shattered and led to believe that McIlroy wasn’t prepared for the idea of marriage, as he confirmed with US Weekly reporters at the time. However, he was suspiciously reportedly not only seeing his now-wife, Erica Stoll, just months after but was wedded to the former PGA employee in 2017.
To give you a little background on the love story between the Irishman and Stoll, the two met on the PGA tour in 2012 while McIlroy was clearly still engaged to be married. Stoll, a New Yorker socialite and former PGA Manager of the Championship Volunteer Operations since 2011, found herself swept by the charm of the champion and shortly left her position after they married to travel the world with the golfer.
Though it seemed like the two couldn’t possibly find any reason to detach, as she is known to accompany the athlete on many tournaments, Stoll reportedly claimed to US Weeklyrecently that she “felt lonely in the marriage” and that “Rory was a hard person to be married to.” The two share a 3-year-old daughter, Poppy.
Now, one can argue that deep down Rory knew Wozniacki was not “his person,” and just simply dragged his feet on ending it with her. Honestly, not an uncommon choice made by many scared people on this planet.
However, due to recent filings, McIlroy seemed to be more of a creature of habit rather than a man with a plan. In June this year, McIlroy officially filed against wife Erica while on tour claiming the marriage was “irretrievably broken,” enforcing his prenup and requested joint custody over daughter Poppy. Just days after Mother’s Day, the filing came out of nowhere. Even worse, reports came out that he was seen getting cozy to yet another reporter, CBS personality Amanda Balionis. Stoll shared that she received papers coldly from a private investigator at their Florida home while McIlroy was away at a tournament.
While filming Netflix BTS docuseries Full Swing, in which the platform goes into the personal and professional lives of the men on the PGA, Balionis and McIlroy seemed to be getting “closer.” As Balionis is one of the main voices for the show, the two spent quite a bit of time together while filming and some reports even stated that the two were already dating as paparazzi photographed the two “hugging” on many occasions. The road for the married couple seemed ominous based on the facts, and, as we know, history tends to repeat itself…
But here’s the real kicker… despite the rumors of the two PGA love birds, the bad habits of the star and an official filing, McIlroy shocked the world with a statement on camera.
“Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning,” said McIlroy. A notice of voluntary dismissal was filed in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, June 11. McIlroy chose to end the divorce plans, per documents obtained by Us Weekly, and the filing was reportedly closed out the same day.
Leading us to wonder if Rory had a change of heart for several reasons… the timing of the U.S. Open so close ahead at the time, a change of heart, their daughter’s well-being, Rory’s repetitive “bad boy” image… or all of the above?
All we know is that the two have yet to be photographed together since and we are all on pins and needles waiting to see if we will see Erica by Rory’s side representing Ireland in the 2024 Paris Olympics. McIlroy came up short at the U.S. Open without Stoll by his side, however, he was reported to have flown directly home to his wife and daughter following the loss.
Now, the question is: will his decision to continue his marriage to Erica work in the favor of Ireland in the Olympics? Only time will tell.
Many would agree with Jon Rahm. However, only a few would truly understand the Spaniard’s words when he said, “It’s basically a dream come true.”
He was alluding to the idea of winning a gold medal at the Olympics, something he missed by four strokes. But not to worry, since the athlete seems fairly confident about his 2028 chances in Los Angeles.
The 29-year-old shared a series of pictures on his Instagram handle commemorating his appearance at the quadrennial event. He did so while mentioning how grateful he was for the whole experience: “It was a tough Sunday for sure but I remain grateful for a great week in Paris. The experience of representing my native Spain in the Olympics was special and something I will never forget.” But the highlight of it all came in the last line: “Ready for LA 2028! 🇪🇸”
He sounds confident, doesn’t he? Well, the current world No. 10 did convey the same, despite LIV Golf not getting acknowledged by the ranking system. If the trend of the OWGR snub continues, then there is a high chance for the Spanish athlete to fall down in rankings while getting pushed out of the top 15. Sounds a bit similar to Bryson DeChambeau’s situation, right?! The 2024 U.S. Open champ had also been just short of making it into the top four ranked Americans on OWGR, resulting in his snub.
But it’s not as if the confidence is completely unfounded for Jon Rahm. The Spanish golfer needs to just do his best and rake in good finishes at the major championships if the Saudi-backed league continues to be without OWGR backing. He just needs to pull off a 2024 DeChambeau, which saw the ‘Scientist’ jump from No. 210 before the Masters to No. 9 after the Open Championship.
That’s not all. With the PIF-PGA Tour merger in the works, one can even anticipate the LIV Golf Pros being able to play in Tour-sanctioned events if everything transpires smoothly. Interestingly, the Transaction Subcommittee, including the likes of Tiger Woods, Adam Scott, and Rory McIlroy, had met with PIF officials back in June. Although the result of the same remained a delay in the proceedings, the merger seems to be very well on the cards. But all of it is for naught if Rahm fails to card the medal, like in the recent event.
The 2023 Masters champ had been at the top rungs of the leaderboard since day 1. He had even been well set at T1, that is, until a dominant Scottie Scheffler shot past him. The American’s run, coupled with Rahm’s horrid back nine, saw the 29-year-old crumble down at the end of Sunday. He carded four bogeys and a double bogey, alongside two birdies in the back nine alone. It was a truly unfortunate fourth round for the Spaniard.
The athlete, in the end, finished T5 with a score of 15-under-269, tied with McIlroy. He did so while dishing out a total of 24 birdies, 9 bogeys, 2 eagles, and 2 double bogeys over the four days of play. Had he been able to score a par putt instead of a double bogey or two of the same instead of two bogeys, then Rahm would have had a chance to force a playoff with Hideki Matsuyama for a bronze medal.
Golf reporter Amanda Balionis has shared a cryptic Instagram post about connecting with people after Rory McIlroy and his wife Erica Stoll were spotted enjoying time together at the Olympics.
McIlroy and his wife are currently in Paris, where the 35-year-old is representing Ireland in the Olympic golf event at Le Golf National, alongside Shane Lowry. The couple have been spotted enjoying the Olympic action, watching Carlos Alcaraz and Rafael Nadal in tennis action against Rajeev Ram and Austin Krajicek.
The four-time major winner and his wife have recently made headlines after McIlroy announced they were divorcing, only to later call off the proceedings as the couple give their relationship another shot. In the lead up to the U. S. Open, McIlroy’s personal life was thrust into the spotlight when he discussed his divorce plans, amidst rumours of a romantic link with Balionis. Speculation grew as the pair shared a jovial interview, as Balionis was seen without her wedding ring. However, any rumours were put to bed when McIlroy and Stoll halted their divorce proceedings.
Since then, Balionis has posted several cryptic messages on Instagram, leading some to believe there may be a hidden meaning related to McIlroy. Her latest post, a collection of July highlights, includes a message about connecting through humour and enjoying laughter with others.
“Cherish the gift of humor. Life doesn’t need to be so gloomy. Spirituality doesn’t need to be so serious and somber. Work doesn’t need to be that way either. Learn to see the humor in life. Look for it. Find it. Enjoy it. Surround yourself with people who like to laugh,” the post read.
“Being around people who laugh can open us up to the power of humor in our own lives. Laughter can become contagious. There I something magnetic, something healing, about being around people who let themselves laugh often.”
McIlroy opened up about the swirling rumours concerning his private life in the build-up to his disappointing performance at Pinehurst No. 2, where he lost out to Bryson DeChambeau after bogeying three of the final four holes. But he steered clear of delving into specifics regarding his relationships.
“There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate,” McIlroy remarked. “Responding to each rumour is a fool’s game. Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
McIlroy wrapped up the first round of the Olympic tournament tied for sixteenth place at three-under-par. Meanwhile, The Open champion Xander Schauffele is vying to retain his gold medal, finishing the first round tied for second on six-under-par. Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama is out in front, leading into the second round on eight-under-par.
Rory McIlroy is currently preparing for the Paris Olympics, but he still managed to find the time to dish out some Ryder Cup smack talk to one rowdy American fan.
On Monday, McIlroy played a casual round at The Old Course at St Andrews, where he was seen hitting blistering tee shots on holes 12 and 16. While walking the historic course, the 35-year-old briefly stopped to engage in playful banter with the reported 100-200 people that congregated to watch him play.
In one clip posted to social media, an especially energetic fan can be heard shouting at McIlroy: “New York loves you, the Bronx baby, the Bronx.” In response to the overzealous attendee, the Northern Irishman hilariously quipped, “You’re not gonna love us next year!” in reference to the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Back in 2023, Europe reclaimed the Ryder Cup with a 16.5 to 11.5 win, but the thrilling victory wasn’t without its hiccups. On the heels of the final hole being played at Marco Simone Golf Club, McIlroy and longtime caddie Joe LaCava got into a verbal spat on the green, with the altercation carrying over into the parking lot after the former took issue with the latter’s celebratory antics.
McIlroy’s heated confrontation with LaCava and subsequent shouting match with Jim “Bones” Mackay ultimately became rallying points for he and his European teammates.
Discussing the fallout from the incident at the hotel, McIlroy told the Irish Independent: “Then [European captain] Luke [Donald] comes in and sits down and doesn’t acknowledge anyone. And he looks at me and I’m thinking, ‘I could be in trouble here,’ but he goes, ‘Rory! I ——- loved that!’
“And all the boys started banging the table. It was brilliant. It had been a really deflating finish, but it galvanized the team.”
McIlroy still has quite some time before he’ll be able to represent Team Europe again in the Ryder Cup, with the next edition not taking place until September 2025. But the world No. 3 golfer doesn’t have to wait long to represent Ireland at the Olympics men’s tournament, which kicks off on Thursday at Le Golf National.
At the Tokyo Games back in 2021, McIlroy fell just short of finishing on the podium, losing to C.T. Pan in a seven-man playoff for the bronze medal. American Xander Schauffele took home gold in Japan, while Rory Sabbatini earned silver.
Three years later, McIlroy divulged that he relishes the opportunity to represent Ireland as opposed to Great Britain in the Olympics.
“As I said, previously, once I left trying not to upset anyone aside, then it was actually a pretty easy decision,” he said. “The decision was I’m going to play golf for the country or the nation that I’ve always played for through my junior and amateur days and now into the professional game. And that’s Ireland.”
