Rory McIlroy had more than one cause to celebrate on St. Patrick’s Day when the Northern Irishman clinched victory at the Players Championship Monday.
McIlroy and American JJ Spaun returned to TPC Sawgrass early Monday morning to duel it out for the PGA Tour’s prestigious title over a dramatic three-hole playoff.
An unforced error from Spaun on the 17th – the second hole of the playoff – where he found the water for a triple bogey, allowed McIlroy to cruise to the win, his 28th on the Tour and second of the year.
And the 35-year-old toasted the victory with a touching moment with his wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy following his 18th green celebrations
Stoll waited for the World No 2 next to the final green after he holed the winning putt and a joyous McIlroy strolled up to his family before scooping four-year-old Poppy into his arms for a big hug.
He doted on his daughter as she adorably gifted him a flower to congratulate him on his triumph.
Rory McIlroy sealed his second victory at the Players Championship on St. Patrick’s Day
The Northern Irishman toasted the victory with wife Erica (L) and daughter Popp (center)
The four-time major winner the leaned in for a celebratory kiss with his wife as she congratulated him.
The 37-year-old Stoll, who has been married to the PGA Tour star since 2017, has been supporting her husband at courses around the world over the past nine months after he called off their shock split.
Most recently, the American and their four-year-old daughter Poppy celebrated his victory at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, a win that saw him clinch a sixth order of merit – matching the great Seve Ballesteros’s haul.
He admitted after the tournament that he had been through ‘a lot this year, professionally and personally’.
‘To have Erica and Poppy here, it means a lot,’ McIroy said in November.
‘It’s the first one they’ve been at in a while and for Poppy to be old enough now to sort of understand what is going on. I had to ask her if I did win, would she come out onto the 18th green with me?
‘Their support means the world to me and to be able to show Poppy what happened and some of the reasons maybe why I’m not around all of the time because I’m working or practicing.
‘Hopefully she realizes or thinks it’s worthwhile that I’m not there every night for dinner or for bedtime or whatever it is.
‘It’s incredible that they were here with me this week and I’m excited to go and celebrate with them.’
The PGA Tour icon shared a celebratory kiss with his wife of seven years
The 37-year-old American and Poppy were in Dubai for McIlroy’s sixth Order of Merit win
McIlroy and Stoll’s daughter Poppy had signaled six to celebrate her father’s achievement
The four-time major winner called off his divorce from his wife of seven years in June
McIlroy stunned the world when he filed for divorce from his wife of seven years last May – just days before the beginning of the PGA Championship .
The four-time major winner left golfing fans further shocked when he performed a U-turn just a month later, calling off his divorce from Stoll ahead of last year’s US Open.
McIlroy’s attorney Thomas Sasser had filed a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal on his behalf on June 11 in Palm Beach County Courthouse after he and Erica reportedly held secret meetings at their $22m Florida home for a month in a bid to salvage their marriage.
The meetings were initially focused on how they would co-parent their daughter Poppy, but the conversations eventually led to them reuniting, according to Irish outlet RSVP Live .
McIlroy addressed the speculation surrounding his relationship status in a statement to The Guardian – two days before the opening round of the US Open.
‘There have been rumors about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumor is a fool’s game,’ McIlroy said.
‘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.’
