The Northern Irishman is hoping to finally get his hands on the famous green jacket at the MastersRory McIlroy sits with his wife Erica Stoll(Image: Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)It’s that time of year again, with the eyes of golf fans around the world glued to the action at Augusta for The Masters 2025.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler is looking to retain the famous green jacket, but faces stiff competition from Rory McIlroy, with the Northern Irishman hoping to get his hands on the title for the first time.
The jacket has eluded McIlroy throughout his career but if he can finally triumph at Augusta, he will become only the sixth man to complete the full collection of Masters, US PGA Championship, the Open Championship and US Open titles.
He came into this year’s competition in fine form having already claimed two PGA Tour event wins in 2025, but got off to a rocky start in the opening round on Thursday as he went from four under par to ending the round of an even-par 72 to leave him seven shots adrift of leader Justin Rose.
McIlroy will be hoping to turn it around before Sunday’s finale as he chases a career highlight after an eventful few years away from the course. Here’s what you need to know about his life outside of golf, from his marriage U-turn and relationship with Meghan Markle to his incredible body transformation.
Marriage U-turnMcIlroy is still married to wife Erica Stoll after making a U-turn on his decision to file for divorce last year.
The couple wed in 2017 and share a daughter, Poppy, together having met at the 2010 Ryder Cup – but it looked as though their relationship was over when the Northern Irishman filed for divorce the day after winning a PGA Tour even last May.
However, a month later, McIlroy revealed he and Stoll had “resolved their differences”, telling the Guardian: “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.”
During their rocky patch, rumours circulated that McIlroy may be dating CBS Sports presenter Amanda Balionis after they were seen sharing a hug following an interview at the Canadian Open, with the married host also seen without her wedding ring. However, that speculation was never addressed nor proven.
The couple’s relationship looks to be firmly back on track, as McIlroy was seen wearing his wedding ring at Augusta this week and was all smiles as he kissed his wife on the course.
McIlroy’s relationship history is well documented, having previously been engaged to former tennis world number one Caroline Wozniacki. The couple went public with their engagement in December 2013 having dated for three years, but it all came crashing down months later as the golfer abruptly ended things.
According to the Times, McIlroy phoned Wozniacki to call off their engagement in a three-minute phone call that she initially thought was a joke. The split also reportedly came after the invitations to their wedding had already been sent out, leaving the tennis ace devastated.
“I thought at the time that being with someone that was in a similar position to you was the obvious answer,” he later told the Irish Independent. “But it isn’t, because you can never get away from it. You can never detach yourself and try to come back to the real world.”
Following his split from Wozniacki, McIlroy was also linked to the future Duchess of Sussex as he struck up an unexpected close friendship with Suits star Meghan Markle. Romance rumours surfaced after the golfer nominated Markle for the ALS Association’s viral Ice Bucket Challenge, with the actress agreeing on the condition that he was the one to pour icy water over her.
It was later reported that they met for drinks and dinner together in New York, while they were also seen dining together in Dublin and Markle described him as “the real deal” on her blog. However, they remained nothing more than friends with Markle, of course, going on to marry Prince Harry in 2018.
The golfer was previously engaged to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki(Image: Getty Images)Stunning body transformationIt’s 16 years since McIlroy won his first professional event as he triumphed at the Dubai Desert Classic in 2009 as a 19-year-old.
He has gone from strength to strength since then, not only in terms of his golfing ability but in his physical appearance, with the Northern Irishman undergoing an impressive body transformation.
While he burst on to the scene as a stocky teenager, McIlroy has shed the pounds and replaced it with muscle, as he is now one of the most toned and physically fit professionals on the circuit.
His transformation was largely motivated by an injury scare early in his career, as a back problem sidelined him for months at the age of 20 and acted as a “wake up call” for the young talent.
“The reason that I decided to get healthier and get in the gym was that I had a herniated l4 l5 disc in my back and I had some bone edema in the vertebrae,” he told reporters in 2020. “The doctor basically said to me if you let that go on any longer that could turn into a stress fracture and that could put you out for a long time.
Rory McIlroy pictured in 2009(Image: 2009 Getty Images)”It was more out of necessity than anything else so just to get stronger, build up a bit of robustness in my body, honestly make myself a little less flexible and a little stiffer.
“I had so much movement in my hips and the lower part of my spine that there was not enough stability around there to protect the joints and the discs and the vertebrae and it was basically out of necessity to do that and to get stronger and prevent injury,” he added. “Since then I haven’t had really any back issues.”
As well as hitting the gym, McIlroy moved on to a high-protein diet and cut back on guilty pleasures like chocolate and ice cream. He told Golf.com: “I had to up my protein intake quite a bit. I’d eat a gram of protein per pound of body weight. I still do that; 170 grams per day of protein.
“I don’t think any food is bad, necessarily. It’s more like treating it as a treat. I’ll allow myself ice cream every now and again because I enjoy it and you still have to enjoy what you eat.”
Staggering net worthUnsurprisingly, McIlroy has earned a pretty penny over the course of his golf career and has an astonishing net worth believed to be in the region of £225 million, according to the Sunday Times Rich List.
That figure makes him the 13th richest person in the UK under the age of 40, according to the latest list, with a multi-million pound property portfolio across the world and a supercar collection that is estimated to be in the region of £900,000.
He has earned around £138 million from his golfing achievements and will add a further $3.6 million (£2.75 million) to that total if he triumphs at Augusta this year.
McIlroy’s net worth has also been boosted by a number of lucrative endorsements, with the Northern Irishman signing deals with top brands including Nike, Omega and TaylorMade over the years.