Rory McIlroy won his second straight Masters on Sunday, a feat that puts him in the rare air of golf royalty that includes Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods.
But that accomplishment is not nearly as important as the fact his wife, Erica, and daughter, Poppy, were there to celebrate with him at Augusta National.
Rory McIlroy actually met Erica Stoll back in 2012, but only because he overslept at the Ryder Cup. Fouling up the time zones and waking up late, the Irish-born golfer reached out to the PGA of America and requested a police escort to the Medinah Country Club.
Erica, who was employed by the PGA, was tasked with arranging the expedited ride. Though they didn’t start formally dating until 2014, that auspicious connection was the beginning of a friendship that eventually blossomed into a romance.
Engaged in 2015, Rory and Erica married in a castle in Ireland in 2017. Rory encountered the usual challenges of professional golf in the first few years of marriage ranging from injuries to heartbreaking losses. But there was Erica, often seen at tournaments cheering him on.
The couple welcomed Poppy Kennedy McIlroy in August of 2020. The family of three valued their privacy and neither the public nor the press saw much of them in the years that followed. But then came May of 2024 and Rory, saying the marriage was “irretrievably broken,” filed for divorce.
It was the novelist Pat Conroy who famously said every divorce is the death of a small civilization, and that certainly appeared to be the trajectory for the McIlroy family.
Yet, one month later, the filing was rescinded. Rory declared in a public statement:
“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.”
The couple has never spoken publicly about what was swirling about, but you can bet there were lots of tears and plenty of tension between the two.
Ruth Graham, husband of the late Dr. Billy Graham, famously observed, “A happy marriage is the union of two good forgivers.”
On Sunday, Erica and Poppy, their 5-year-old daughter, greeted McIIroy as he exited the 18th hole.
From the very beginning, Rory’s life has been an adventure, but one largely dependent on others. Born in Northern Ireland, his working-class parents toiled away at multiple jobs in order to afford to pay for his golf interest. At the award ceremony on Sunday night, McIIroy also acknowledged his mother and father, who were also in attendance this past week.
“Mom and Dad, I owe everything to you,” he said. Calling them “the most wonderful parents,” he added, “If I can be half the parent to Poppy that you’ve been to me, I’ve done a good job.”
Rory McIIroy claimed in May of 2024 that his marriage was irretrievably broken, but that’s not always the case (and wasn’t this time) – especially if the husband and wife are open to the Lord working a miracle, and the wife and husband are willing to work and face the issues head on.
That’s why Focus on the Family’s Hope Restored ministry was launched. Located in various locations, the team specializes in helping couples who have seemingly run out of options. It’s also probably unlike any program you’ve ever seen. Featuring what’s known as “intensive counseling,” couples spend several days tackling the issues and getting to their root cause.
If you are in a difficult position, and your spouse is willing, fight to preserve your marriage. If you’re in a good position, work to improve it.
There are plenty of good reasons to make the effort, but the image from Sunday of Poppy hugging her dad is worth a thousand words or more explaining why it’s worth it to make the effort to try and save your marriage.