Rory McIlroy has revealed the heartwarming reason why he travelled to London with his family after winning his first major in 11 years to complete a career grand slam in front of his wife Erica and daughter Poppy.

McIlroy, having previously missed chances to pull ahead, held his nerve on a tense final round to defeat Justin Rose in a sudden death play-off at the Masters, as his loyal wife Erica Stoll looked on with their daughter Poppy.

After his winning birdie putt dropped to seal the victory over his Ryder Cup teammate, McIlroy collapsed to the ground with his head in hands as his shoulders wracked with sobs.

READ: Rory McIlroy Spotted in Florida With Wife Erica After Masters Celebration Trip to Ireland

Rising to his feet, he clung to caddie, Harry Diamond, who has been by McIlroy’s side through thick and thin for over seven years. The pair shared a tearful moment before the 2025 Masters winner acknowledged his dueling partner Rose and rushed off the putting surface to where Stoll and four-year-old Poppy were waiting.

McIlroy went straight to his wife of eight years, who wowed in an all-white ensemble and dramatic wide-brimmed hat, and pulled her into an embrace.

And things continue to look up for the Northern Irishman on the back of his golf struggles and divorce drama – as he explained he headed back to England before making his way to Belfast.

‘It’s been an amazing few days after and to be able to reflect on it and everything that happened and the magnitude of everything,’ McIlory said in New Orleans on Wednesday. ‘The big thing for me is how the whole journey is how it resonated with people.

‘It’s not every day you get to fulfil one of your life long goals and dreams.

‘We first went to London with Erica and Poppy to see our new home that we’re building and we made the trip over to Belfast to see a few other people that are important to us.’

McIlroy and Stoll, live in Jupiter Island, Florida. They also own homes in California and in New York City, as well as well as a 200-acre estate in Ireland.

McIlroy and Stoll put on a united front all week at Augusta National – almost one year on from the beginning of their bombshell divorce drama.

The player sent shockwaves through the golfing world when he filed for divorce from his wife of seven years last May – just days before the beginning of the PGA Championship, the second major championship of the golfing calendar.

The PGA Tour icon left golfing fans further shocked when he performed a U-turn just a month later, calling off his divorce from Stoll ahead of last year’s US Open.

The freshly-crowned five-time major winner later paid tribute to his family during his Green Jacket ceremony.

‘Last but not least, over to my left, my family, my team,’ he said, trailing off as the tears threatened to spill again.

‘They’ve been on this journey with me the whole way through. They know the burden that I’ve carried to come here every year and try and try and try again,’ he continued after recomposing himself.

‘The one thing I would say to my daughter Poppy, never give up on your dreams. Never ever give up on your dreams. Keep coming back. Keep working hard.’

Rory McIlroy is back stateside after a whirlwind week that saw him travel to his home country to celebrate his historic Masters victory. 

McIlroy, 35, touched down in Jupiter, Florida, on Sunday, April 20, after a weekend trip to see his parents, Rosie and Gerry, in Northern Ireland. 

The golfer’s parents were not on hand to see their son finally taste Masters glory on April 13, becoming just the sixth golfer in history to win the career grand slam. 

McIlroy was pictured on Sunday with his 4-year-old daughter, Poppy, who accompanied McIlroy on the jaunt to Ireland. 

Erica Stoll, McIlroy’s wife, was also pictured with her husband and daughter after they arrived back in Florida on Sunday. Stoll, 37, was not seen onboard the private jet that transported McIlroy and Poppy over the weekend. 

McIlroy will make his return to the PGA Tour on Thursday, April 24, when he teams with longtime friend Shane Lowry at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. 

“To be honest, I didn’t want him to feel like he had to play because of me,” Lowry told Golfweek. “He’s not letting me down if he wanted to take some time. He feels like he wants to get back out there. He feels like next week is a good week to do it. So, yeah, we’ll be there.”

In an interview with CBS’ Amanda Balionis after securing his Masters win, McIlroy gave thanks to the “incredible support system the whole way throughout my life.”

“As an only child, the support that I had from my parents — they saw some potential in me as a golfer and they gave me every opportunity to try to fulfill that potential,” McIlroy told Balionis, 38. “Talking to them on the phone after I won, my mom probably still hasn’t stopped crying.”

Stoll and Poppy were both in attendance at Augusta National Golf Club to witness McIlroy’s historic feat, which McIlroy reflected on during his interview with Balionis.

“To have Poppy there — I want to make her proud,” McIlroy said. “I want her to be able to experience these things. I said on the green during the trophy presentation, I hadn’t given up for 17 years. I think that’s a really good lesson for any young boy or girl who was watching. To never give up on your dreams and to keep fighting for it. If you do the work and you put in the effort that you can achieve anything.”

He added, “Hopefully Poppy saw that today.”

While McIlroy credited the “close-knit village” he has surrounding him, including his childhood friend and caddie Harry Diamond, some viewers noticed that he failed to mention his wife by name. 

McIlroy and Stoll got married in 2017, though the couple briefly split last year after McIlroy filed for divorce in May 2024. The golfer called off the divorce just one month later.