Who Will Get Custody of Rory McIlroy & Erica Stoll’s 4YO Daughter Poppy After Divorce?

7 years. That is how long Rory McIlroy has been married to his wife Erica Stoll. From responding, “I am very happy in my love life” to their marriage being “irretrievably broken,” the two have come a long way. While they were together, the couple also welcomed their baby girl, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy on August 30, 2020.

Come May 2024, the Northern Irishman has now moved for divorce and has reportedly filed the court documents in Florida. Case in point: As the two lovebirds separate from each other, the focus falls on the custody of their daughter, who will turn 4-years-old in three months.

The custody of Poppy, Rory McIlroy’s daughter

Sean O’Flaherty, the golfer’s manager, confirmed the news of the divorce in a statement. While doing so, he also mentioned, “They stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible,” while subtly referring to the proceedings involving the separation as well as the custody issue.

When it comes to the custody of the children following the parents’ divorce, the law is governed by the states rather than the federal government, with each 50 states having its own, albeit similar, set of rules. It keeps in mind the best interests of the child while not giving any preference to either the father or the mother during the rulings. If McIlroy and Stoll are, thus, unable to reach an agreement outside of court, the judge can decide their parenting plan based on the best interests of Poppy.

From July 1, 2023, there has been a rebuttable presumption about equal timesharing being in the child’s best interest. If either Rory McIlroy or his soon-to-be ex-wife wishes to refute the same, then they have the burden of proving the opposite. This will allow the court to make a ruling based on the factors that are set forth including the preference of their daughter, the willingness of the athlete and Erica Stoll to meet Poppy’s needs, along with their moral fitness and how/if it will impact the child, among others. Aside from these factors, the rulings may also change based on the professional’s and his wife’s capacity and willingness to be involved in their daughter’s school and extra-curricular activities, along with their ability to grow and maintain a close relationship with her, not to mention their capability in being able to act on Poppy’s needs instead of their own wants.