Golf sensation Rory McIlroy is said to be setting up a new home in the UK amid rumours that his wife Erica Stoll is eager to move away from their Florida residence. The 35-year-old golfer recently clinched a career grand slam with a thrilling Masters victory on Sunday.McIlroy’s wife and four-year-old daughter Poppy were there to cheer him on at Augusta. The couple’s marriage has been under media scrutiny since the pair filed for divorce last May, only to reconcile a month later. The two started their romance in 2015 and tied the knot in County Mayo in 2017. Their primary residence has been a luxurious nine-bedroom mansion within the exclusive Bear’s Club golf community in Jupiter, Florida, but there have been suggestions that the McIlroy family could move to England in the future.
Despite their opulent lifestyle, McIlroy has acknowledged Stoll’s preference for spending more time in the UK. “If it was up to her [Erica], she wouldn’t move to England straightaway, but she definitely wants to spend more time there,” he revealed in the Netflix documentary series Full Swing. Reflecting on a casual encounter with Stoll, German golfer Martin Kaymer shared that McIlroy’s wife had told him: ”I really don’t like the sun [in Florida].” To which, Kaymer jokingly retorted: ‘”Your state’s called the Sunshine State, right?”‘
Following the couple’s reconciliation in June last year, McIlroy addressed rumours about his personal life in a statement to The Guardian. “There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool’s game,” he said. “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.” Last year, it emerged that McIlroy had purchased land in Wentworth, Surrey, before initiating divorce proceedings, and had already invested heavily in developing a property.
GB News has since reported that Stoll has decided a move to the UK would be beneficial for their family, although no specific timeline for their potential departure from the US has been given. A source revealed details of the Wentworth house plans to The Sun around the time McIlroy filed for divorce: “Rory could easily have seen the family’s future at Wentworth and in London – at least up until recently. He had spent between £10million and £14million on plans for the home at Wentworth, which he was having built to their specifications.”
A new property in England could satisfy Stoll’s desire to spend more time in the UK. While it remains unclear whether the McIlroy family would relocate from their main residence in Florida, fellow golfer JJ Spaun recently offered insight into the new Masters champion’s plans. Spaun, who was defeated by McIlroy in a playoff at last month’s Players Championship, shared details of their on-course conversations. “He’s super cool. We were talking about the UK,” Spaun said on the Fore Play podcast. “I know he’s Northern Irish, but I asked him if he ever spends time in London. My wife has a close friend living there and we love visiting, so for the past few years, we’ve taken a small holiday in December to the Cotswolds.
“Quaint little villages that are really old, with pubs dating back to the 1700s. It’s just a really cool vibe to hang out during the holidays. “I asked him about that, and he said, ‘oh yeah, I’m building a house out there’. He kept the conversation friendly and light, and we chatted quite a bit until the back nine, and that was it.”