The news of Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll’s divorce is arguably the biggest hot topic in golf at the moment. While the divorce itself is filed, the reason behind it remains uncertain. However, as per recent reports, it seems like that, too, is now out in the open. And bizarrely, all fingers point to the four-time major winner!

The couple decided to end their relationship after nearly 7 years of marriage, having tied the knot in April 2017. Recently, an exclusive source disclosed to Us Weekly that Erica felt “Rory was a hard person to be married to.” Diving further into their marriage dynamics, they revealed, “A point of contention in Rory’s marriage with Erica was that Erica was lonely in their marriage.” Erica, of course, was well aware of the golfer’s nature and his dynamic, ever-changing, on-the-move life much before they were married. However, when their daughter Poppy was born, she prioritized her and overlooked the other troubles.

Notably, she remained absent for most of his tournaments and focused on raising their daughter. Eventually, however, the other side got too much to ignore, and their relationship reached a breaking point. Interestingly, shortly after reports of their divorce emerged, another rumor began circulating about the Northern Irishman. This time, CBS reporter Amanda Balionis was at the center. As per the grapevine, she and McIlroy are romantically involved. The Daily Mail even dubbed their chemistry “the talk of the links.”

Following the golfer’s victory at this year’s Wells Fargo Championship, it was Balionis who conducted the post-tournament interview, wearing a top matching McIlroy’s. The reporter seemed quite comfortable alongside McIlroy, giggling and seemingly flirting. Seeing as he won the Wells Fargo Championship on Mother’s Day, May 12, Balionis attributed his pink T-shirt to ‘Mother’s Day pink’ and asked Rory McIlroy to say a few words about his mom.

While he obliged and called his mother “the sort of rock and gel that holds our family together,” he said nothing about Erica Stoll, the mother of his daughter, Poppy. Notably, this was just one day before he filed for divorce in Florida. As for the relationship rumors about him and Balionis, McIlroy also assisted the reporter by filming a promo for her nonprofit organization, Puppies & Golf, which is dedicated to protecting and advocating for dogs, serving as a community resource, providing grants to families, shelters, and rescues, and supporting military veterans. This, of course, only fueled the fiery rumors further.

It’s clear that there are still many unanswered questions regarding McIlroy and Stoll’s divorce. However, arguably the biggest amongst them is about which parent three-year-old Poppy will go to.

Will Rory McIlroy get custody of his daughter?

McIlroy’s manager, Sean O’Flaherty, will be the one spearheading and managing the divorce and custody matters on the golfer’s behalf. Various factors come into consideration when determining child custody. Typically, the state government, rather than the federal government, handles these cases, and each of the 50 states has its own set of rules. These rulings prioritize the child’s best interests without showing a preference for either parent.

If both current parents, in this case, McIlroy and Stoll, are unable to reach an agreement outside of court, the judge will eventually decide their parenting plan based on what they deem to be Poppy’s best interests. Given the golfer’s constant travel schedule, it’s likely that Erica will receive custody of their daughter if things go to court. That being said, as of right now, nothing is written in stone, and how the separated couple will handle their daughter’s future is still uncertain.

In this ever-dynamic story, updates are constantly pouring in, be it from the rumor mill about Rors or his wife. Stay tuned to this space to get them all!