Rory McIlroy is still savoring the moment of winning his first-ever green jacket at the 2025 Masters last month. He’s now turned his attention to the PGA Championship, which kicked off this week at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Just before the first round of the 107th championship on May 15, the 36-year-old Irish golf pro told reporters it’s tough to see videos of himself sinking to his knees after he nailed the final 4-foot putt in Augusta last month.
He also had a sweet message for his family.
“I still feel like I want to cry… I’ve never felt a release like that before, and I might never feel a release like that again,” McIlroy said, according to “Yahoo Sports.” “That could be a once-in-a-lifetime thing, and it was a very cool moment.”
The Irish golfer said he’s hoping to create many more highlights. However, he doesn’t know if any other win will match the 2025 Masters.
“I’m still going to set myself goals. I’m still going to try to achieve certain things. But I sit here knowing that that very well could be the highlight of my career,” he added. “I probably won’t be quite as on edge as I have been for the last few years when I’ve been at major championships. I’ll probably be a little bit better to be around for my family, and I’ll be a little more relaxed. I think overall it will be a good thing.”
Rory McIlroy celebrated his historic Masters win with his wife and daughter
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland kisses wife Erica Stoll during the Par Three Contest prior to the 2025 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 09, 2025 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, 37, and daughter, Poppy Kennedy, 4, were in Augusta when the 36-year-old golf pro won his first championship.
The PGA star and his wife seem to be on better terms these days, despite a brief separation last year. On May 13, 2024, McIlroy filed for divorce, although the couple got back together a short time later.
McIlroy opened up about his near-split from his wife on Season 3 of the Netflix reality show “Full Swing,” admitting he “struggled with trying to be the best golfer, the best husband, the best dad.”
The couple recently announced plans to relocate to the U.K. They’ve been living in an $18 million mansion in Juniper, Florida. They are now building a new home just outside of London.
