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Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy poses with his wife Erica Stoll and their daughter as he celebrates with his trophy at the end the 2025 DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai on November 16, 2025. McIlroy was crowned the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai champion for a seventh year, and four seasons in a row, but the world No.2 lost the $10 million Tour Championship to England's Matt Fitzpatrick in the first playoff hole when he found the water with his tee shot. (Photo by Fadel SENNA / AFP via Getty Images)

There has been plenty of buzz surrounding the now two-time Masters Tournament champion Rory McIlroy following his historic victory at Augusta National – including plenty of speculation and chatter surrounding the golfer’s personal life. Amid a throng of interest about the status of his marriage to his wife, Erica Stoll, and past troubles including a 2024 divorce filing alongside speculation of infidelity, there’s been more than enough negative discourse around the couple at a time when they should be celebrating McIlroy’s career achievement.

The good news is that the tables are now turning as Stoll is receiving some well-deserved praise from other world renowned golfers, including Bob MacIntyre. Here’s what MacIntyre has had to say about Erica Stoll and her brilliance in remaining strong amid a negative experience in the spotlight.

Bob MacIntyre Says He Was Left “Amazed” By Rory McIlroy’s Wife, Erica Stoll

GettyFARMINGDALE, NEW YORK – SEPTEMBER 26: Erica Stoll McIlroy, wife of Rory McIlroy of Team Europe, walks the ninth hole during the Friday afternoon four-ball matches of the 2025 Ryder Cup at Black Course at Bethpage State Park Golf Course on September 26, 2025 in Farmingdale, New York. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images)

At the 2025 Ryder Cup in New York, chaos was unleashed and unfairly directed at Rory McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll. Much of the abuse was considered to be misogynistic in nature as fans hurled insults at her and called out the name of Amanda Balionis, with whom McIlroy’s alleged affair occurred – although both McIlroy and Balionis have always maintained that their relationship is strictly professional and nothing inappropriate has ever occurred between them. Yet the abuse towards Stoll escalated to its peak when a bottle was thrown at her by an onlooker.

Speaking to the harassment and harsh treatment taken by Stoll at the event, The Mirror U.S. revealed in an article published on April 28, 2026, that McIlroy’s teammate, Bob MacIntyre, was “amazed” by her response to the abuse. MacIntyre is reported as having said, “I was in the team room doing some physio and I said, ‘We need to go out there.’ I rounded up about 10 of us – players, caddies, staff, so that Rory and Shane weren’t just seeing hostile fans everywhere they looked. Honestly, it was Erica [Stoll] who amazed me most. She was sitting in the back of that buggy like an absolute trooper, not flinching. If she reacted, Rory would have reacted – and if the two of them reacted, the crowd would have won. She was unbelievable.”

Erica Stoll has certainly earned the applause and recognition she is now receiving for her strength in the face of such severe abuse on the course, as acknowledged by Bob MacIntyre. While the world has long speculated on the personal lives of professional athletes, it takes a great deal of self assurance and control to remain composed in the way that Stoll conducted herself at the 2025 Ryder Cup. For as much praise has been given for McIlroy’s second Masters Tournament win, his wife certainly deserves her own round of applause for being the backbone of strength both on and off of the golf course!

Amanda Vining Amanda Vining is a career journalist with over 20 years of experience covering news for digital publications. More about Amanda Vining