Rory McIlroy is ‘trying to find himself’ after Erica Stoll divorce

Rory McIlroy is trying to get back to happier times.

The PGA Tour star — who filed for divorce from Erica Stoll, his wife of seven years, on May 13 — is focused on fine-tuning his game as he continues to search for his first major win since 2014, according to People.

“He’s just trying to find himself, focus and get back to winning,” a source told the outlet, adding that McIlroy, 35, “went through such a winning phase and hasn’t done much in the last five-ish years.”

McIlroy was also at the forefront of the PGA Tour’s initial battle against LIV Golf, publicly speaking against the rival tour as top stars defected.

“Plus, he put his blood, sweat and tears into defending the PGA against LIV golf the last two years and it was basically for nothing,” the source said, referring to the bombshell PGA-LIV merger that rocked the golf world last June.

It left McIlroy feeling “somewhat like a sacrificial lamb” at the time.

McIlroy has recorded a numerous victories in tournaments throughout 2024, but his last major win was a decade ago at the 2014 PGA Championship.

The Northern Irishman, a four-time major winner, didn’t crack the top 10 at this year’s PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Course — where Xander Schauffele outlasted Bryson DeChambeau by a single stroke to claim his first career major.

McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship earlier this month, which marked his his fourth victory at Quail Hollow and his 26th PGA Tour title.

In the tournament prior to that, McIlroy and Shane Lowry won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in a playoff against Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer.

McIlroy started 2024 with a victory at the Hero Dubai Desert Classic on the DP World Tour in January, his fourth time winning the tournament.

McIlroy filed for divorce from Stoll, stating the marriage was “irretrievably broken” in documents filed in Florida, which stated the pair have a prenup.

“It’s a hard life being a golfer’s wife,” People’s source said. “They’re always away at tournaments and practicing, there has to be a lot of trust.”

The pros are often surrounded by “hangers-on” and “beautiful women” during tournaments, the source said.

“You either have to join them on tour and go with it or just have trust in them, it’s impossible to expect them to be home and able to help with the kids,” the outlet reported.

McIlroy and Stoll are seeking split custody of their daughter Poppy, now 3, whom they welcomed in August 2020, according to his divorce filing.

A week after the split was made public, a report by The Daily Mail said McIlroy and CBS reporter Amanda Balionis were “the talk of the links” on the PGA Tour and the two were stirring romance rumors.

The pair has yet to address that report.

McIlroy’s camp released a statement at the time that “stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.”

His team added that he would not be commenting further on the matter.

In a press conference before the PGA Championship, the media were warned to refrain from asking questions about McIlroy’s personal life amid the divorce news.

McIlroy is set to play in the RBC Canadian Open, which runs from May 28 through June 2 at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Hamilton, Ontario.