Rory McIlroy was missing a very interesting piece of hardware when he began his quest for a fifth major championship.
McIlroy, 35, was not wearing his wedding ring when he teed off at the U.S. Open on Thursday, June 13, a noteworthy development in what has been a headline-making week for the No. 3 ranked golfer in the world.
On Tuesday, June 11, McIlroy filed a notice to dismiss his divorce from wife of seven years Erica Stoll. McIlroy had previously filed for divorce from Stoll on May 13.
For those wondering, McIlroy has made a habit out of wearing his ring while golfing in the past, including when he won the Wells Fargo Championship in May, one day before he filed for divorce.
“Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together,” McIlroy said in a statement to The Guardian. “Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
He added, “There have been rumors about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumor is a fool’s game.”
After McIlroy’s divorce filing, there were reports that he was dating CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis. However, Us Weekly exclusively revealed that the two were not together.
McIlroy is part of a marquee group to kick off the 124th U.S. Open with world No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler and world No. 2 Xander Schauffele.
Prior to the start of the tournament, McIlroy joked that the only thing that might slow down Scheffler, 27, is “going into a jail cell.”
In a shocking turn of events, Scheffler was arrested last month before his second round at the PGA Championship. He was released from jail after roughly an hour and eventually cleared of all charges.
This season, Scheffler has finished in the top 10 in 12 of the 13 tournaments in which he’s played, winning five.
“The word I describe it as is ‘relentless,’” McIlroy said of Scheffler. “It just seems like every time he shows up, he is the guy to beat and deservedly so.”
McIlroy added, “[He’s] undoubtedly the best player in the world at the minute by a long way. It’s up to us to try to get to his level.”
The 124th U.S. Open got underway Thursday in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
