The confident demeanour of Rory McIlroy before this week’s US Open at Pinehurst has been further explained after it emerged the divorce petition he filed in a Florida court last month has been voluntarily dismissed.
McIlroy has reconciled with Erica, his wife of seven years, in what is likely to serve as a huge boost to the golfer’s state of mind.
Shock news emerged in the immediate buildup to the US PGA Championship that the world No 2 was to divorce. However, court papers served in Florida on Tuesday show dismissal of the case at the behest of the parties involved. McIlroy looked in noticeably upbeat mood when he addressed the media at Pinehurst earlier in the day.
Contacted by the Guardian about the divorce and fevered speculation between the last two majors about his situation, McIlroy said: “There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool’s game.
“Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
McIlroy arrived in North Carolina seeking to end a wait for a fifth major stretching back to August 2014. The Northern Irishman will partner Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele in rounds one and two.
“I’m really proud of my body of work over the past 15 years and everything that I have achieved, whether it be season-long titles or individual tournaments or majors,” McIlroy said.
“Obviously getting my hands on a fifth major has taken quite a while, but I’m more confident than ever that I’m right there, that I’m as close as I’ve ever been.”