Rory McIlroy is inarguably one of the biggest stars on the PGA Tour. And he can be seen everywhere. From the PGA Tour to the DP World Tour, collecting trophies left and right for more than a decade. His trophy cabinet must be getting overcrowded by now no doubts. So, being a worldwide player it does beg the question: Where does he live? We know that he is a Northern Irishman, but he is seen mostly in the States, is married to an American and even his daughter was born there. So that might make him an American citizen, right?

Well, here’s the truth: he is not.

Rory McIlroy’s real nationality

Rory McIlory is not a US citizen. Never tried to be one. As one might be aware, he was born in Holywood, County Down, Northern Ireland,  and carries a British passport. That is his official nationality. But as simple as it might read, it does come with certain layers.

Over the years, McIlroy has admitted that he feels like a “Northern Irishman” But then at one point he said he felt, “more British than Irish.” With all honesty, he has been open about how complicated these labels can and have felt to him, if one considers the political history of the region.

This complexity has time and again shown up on his professional front as well. During the Olympics, Northern Irish athletes can represent either Great Britain or Ireland, and McIlroy’s decision was under the spotlight for years. In the end, he picked Ireland. He competed as an Irishman at both the Tokyo Games in 2020 and the Paris Games in 2024.

But beyond these layers, his life has been centred in the US since 2008. He has been a resident, sure, but not a citizen. Despite this, he made Florida his home.

Rory’s strategic choice to stay in Florida

If there has ever been confusion regarding Rory McIlroy’s nationality, that could be because of his long-term residence in Florida. McIlory has been playing in the US since 2007-08, and joined the PGA Tour in 2009. Obviously, that required him to spend long weeks, sometimes months, in the country. Keeping all this in mind, he moved to Florida in 2013, basing himself in the States.

That year, he bought a Palm Beach Gardens home for $9.5 million. Four years later, he leveled up and bought his current Jupiter mansion from fellow pro Ernie Els for a whopping $11 million. Today, that property’s value might be somewhere around $18-22 million.

And that place is worth every penny. It is 13,000 sq ft. on 2.4 acres, built in a Spanish Colonial style back in 2002. It is tucked inside The Bear’s Club, which is an exclusive golf community founded by Jack Nicklaus. To put it in perspective, there are 69 golf courses within 15 miles of Jupiter. This makes it a massive reason why McIlory bought a home here.

And then there is the money factor, too. Florida has no state income tax. Now, for us, it might not be a big deal, but for golfers like Rory who are pulling in millions from both prize money and endorsements, it sort of is. For example, McIlroy’s $4.2 million prize from the 2025 Masters was cut almost in half by federal and Georgia state taxes, leaving him with only around $2.4 million. If he were taxed under the UK’s system, his bill would have been even higher at 45%. So Florida’s residency, financially, is a no-brainer.

He himself said it once, “While competing at the highest level on the PGA Tour, I think there’s no option but to live in Florida because the facilities and the weather are so good.”

But ironically, this weather factor became the reason he also has a second home.

Back to his roots

Early this year, it was reported that Rory McIlroy and his family had moved to England. They now reportedly live in a custom-built home in Wentworth, Surrey, just outside London. For McIlroy, it has been a positive shift for both his personal and professional life.

This move came after there were reports that McIlroy and his wife, Erica Stoll, filed for divorce in May 2024. But they reconciled a month later. The fresh start in England became a part of that reconciliation. Then there was the climate, too. Erica, who grew up in upstate New York, has never been a fan of the Florida heat and prefers cooler weather. Hence, the family decided to move.

For McIlroy, the benefits go beyond family. He has admitted that it’s tough to “get away” from golf in Jupiter, where everyone around him is a pro or involved in the sport. In Wentworth, he feels like he can detach.

“We came back a few weeks ago and moved into our new home in Wentworth and been since trying to settle in, and it’s amazing what two weeks of a bit of detachment can do for you,” he told The Telegraph in July 2025.

“In this last fortnight, I felt like I could detach and sort of hide in a way. I needed that.”

But this does not mean that Florida is out of the picture. The Jupiter mansion is still there and will act as McIlroy’s US tournament base, especially during the golf season. And besides, McIlroy loves the country too much. At the 2025 Ryder Cup, he called America “the best country in the world” and “the land of opportunity.”

He added, “My wife is American. My daughter is American. I have a lot of affinity towards this country…it’s a wonderful place.”

In conclusion, you can’t attach McIlroy to just one region. And this is something he always wanted, as he once said, “I am very lucky to be supported by people all over the world, many of whom treat me as one of their own, no matter what their nationality, or indeed mine. This is the way sport should be.”

So, no matter where he lives, Rory McIlroy will always be loved by his fans.