Rory McIlroy family: All about his parents, wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy
Rory McIlroy captured the elusive green jacket at the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club.
Rory McIlroy captured the elusive green jacket at the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Although the Masters leaderboard was in a constant shuffle throughout the game, it finally came down to a playoff between Justin Rose and McIlroy.
McIlroy had a five-stroke lead at one point, USA Today reported. Rose's ten birdies, however, did put a lot of strain on the Northern Irish golfer. He kept bouncing up and down between narrow leads and ties with Rose.
In the iconic conclusion, McIlroy produced a birdie on the first playoff hole, and won the Masters. He happens to be the sixth player to complete the career Grand Slam.
All about Rory McIlroy’s parents
McIlroy is the son of Rosie and Gerry McIlroy, and was born in Ireland on May 4, 1989. His parents have supported his golf career since he was a young boy, Gerry himself being a golfer and introducing his son to the sport, People reported.
“I’ll never be able to repay mum and dad for what they did," McIlroy previously said of his parents. "But at least they know they’ll never have to work another day. I’ll do whatever it takes to look after them.”
Both Gerry and Rosie are often spotted cheering for their son at tournaments, and also posing with him for photos on the green later.
"The pride that they feel when I do well, I can feel that and I can sense that," McIlory said of his parents in April 2017.
Gerry, who is from Northern Ireland, grew up in public housing outside Belfast, just a short distance from Holywood Golf Club. This is where he honed his golf skills, and later went on to play at a scratch-handicap level.
Rosie, also from Northern Ireland, grew up in Taghnevan. She later moved to Belfast, where she met Gerry. The pair eventually moved to Holywood, where they raised McIlroy.
McIlroy shares a special bond with his parents, being the only child. "I'm an only child, so I was always so close with my parents growing up," he said in 2017. "They are like best friends. I can tell them anything, lean on them, ask them for advice.”
All about Rory McIlroy’s wife and daughter
McIlroy and his wife Erica Stoll were friends before they started dating. They made their relationship official in 2015. The two are celebrating 10 years together this year.
McIlroy and Erica first met in 2012, when he was playing at the Ryder Cup at Medinah. He married the western New York native in 2017.
McIlroy previously said, “We met when she was working for the PGA of America and renting a condo in Palm Beach, and I found it refreshing being with someone who was living a normal life rather than, ‘Oh! My jet is 30 minutes late!’”
“I could speak to her about anything, we ended up spending a bit of time together and realized that there was something more there,” he added.
Erica, who grew up in Irondequoit, New York, graduated from Irondequoit High School in 2003. She played tennis in high school, and later went on to study at the Rochester Institute of Technology. She graduated with a degree in marketing in 2008. She began working for the PGA after graduating, first as an office manager before the 2008 Senior PGA Championship at Oak Hill in Pittsford, near Rochester.
The pair had a rough patch in their relationship in 2024, following which McIlroy filed for divorce in May. However, he later told The Guardian newspaper of England that he had withdrawn that petition. “Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together," he said. "Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
Erica and McIlroy welcomed their daughter Poppy Kennedy McIlroy on August 31, 2020. McIlroy opened up about becoming a dad in September 2020. “It’s amazing,” he told Golfweek. "You feel like you get to know your baby while she’s still in her mother’s belly, but to go from not having met this person to having unconditional love for them, there’s nothing like it in the world."
“It’s probably the best part of being a human being, and I’m glad that I got to experience it,” he added.
Poppy made some special memories with her father on the green at the annual Masters Par 3 Contest in Augusta. The round is a family event, when spouses, children and other relatives step in as caddies.
Poppy's first time caddying for McIlroy was in 2023, when the little girl and Erica wore the contest's traditional ensembles – white jumpsuits with “McIlroy” printed on the back. Sharing an adorable video on Instagram, McIlroy wrote at the time, “Always one of the best days of the year.”
