Rory McIlroy's wife Erica Stoll absent from Northern Ireland homecoming but daughter seen

returned home to Northern Ireland this week to with his extended family. However, his wife Erica Stoll was not present for the trip and is widely reported to have remained in the US.

McIlroy stepped off his private jet in Belfast last Friday to warm applause from a small crowd awaiting his arrival. The Augusta champion held his four-year-old daughter, Poppy, in one arm as he was greeted by security. But there was no sign of Stoll as part of the travelling party.

The former PGA of America employee is believed to have remained in the US while McIlroy visited his parents with Poppy. It comes after the 35-year-old golfer raised eyebrows by omitting his wife from his close-knit 'support system' following his latest major victory.

Speaking in an interview after winning the Masters, McIlroy said: "I have had an incredible support system the whole way throughout my life as an only child, the support that I had from my parents, they saw some potential in me as a golfer. And they gave me every opportunity to try to fulfil that potential.

"To have Harry on the bag. I have a, as you call it, a village. But it's a close-knit village and it's pretty small, but everyone that's in there means an incredible deal to me. I think as well, to have Poppy there and to see... You know, I want to make her proud, I want her to be able to experience these things."

In May 2024, McIlroy filed for divorce from Stoll, but they announced a month later that they had rekindled their relationship. "Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together," McIlroy told the Guardian. "Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning."

Stoll was present throughout the Masters and shared several sweet moments with McIlroy. They posed for photos alongside Poppy after McIlroy had won the tournament.

It remains to be seen whether Stoll will appear at McIlroy's next tournament, the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. He will attempt to defend the title he won last year alongside close friend Shane Lowry, who confirmed their participation last week.

"We'll be there," Lowry said. "I talked to him [on Wednesday] morning. We're good to go. To be honest, I didn't want him to feel like he had to play because of me. He's not letting me down if he wanted to take some time [off]. He feels like he wants to get back out there. He feels like next week is a good week to [return to the course]. So, yeah, we'll be there."