Golf fans far and wide were shocked and saddened to learn that Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll were headed for the divorce court.
The news which landed with extraordinary timing last week, just days before the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club appeared to be a bolt out of the blue.
For their inner circle however, confirmation that the marriage was over after seven years was reportedly unlikely to raise eyebrows.
Both Erica and Rory have maintained their stoic silence on the reason for their split, save for the alleged picture of their divorce filing that described the marriage as 'irretrievably broken' and the latter has been quick to shut down any questions on his personal life in interviews.
Now though, one claimed insider has shed light on the reason they decided to part ways .
They alleged that Erica had become lonely in the marriage, a problem exasperated by Rory's long absences from home.
'A point of contention in Rory's marriage with Erica was that Erica was lonely in the marriage. Rory was a hard person to be married to,' the source told US Weekly.
They went on to claim that by the end, Rory and Erica were practically living separate lives for the past two years with Erica reaching 'breaking point.'
While Erica is said to have been aware of the golfer's demanding schedule, welcoming their three-year-old daughter Poppy is said to have given her a new perspective, and she was largely absent from Rory's tournaments.
Rory and Erica first met during the Ryder Cup tournament in 2012 and tied the knot at Mayo's Ashford Castle in 2017. At the time they met however, he was in a committed relationship with tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.
A few months later and he reportedly called off his engagement with Caroline, allegedly by phone call. In a statement in May 2014 he held his hand up over their split saying: 'The problem is mine.
'The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realize that I wasn't ready for all that marriage entails. I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we've had,' he said in a statement.
Last week, Rory's representative released a statement regarding his marriage to Erica, confirming that 'a divorce has been filed'.
His team stressed: 'Rory's desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible. He will not be making any further comment.'
