Rory McIlroy’s ex Caroline Wozniacki takes a dig at golf star as she watches him win the Masters from the crowd – years after he broke off their engagement in a three-minute phone call.
She went from being one half of a sporting super couple to being dumped over the phone days after sending out her wedding invites, so it’s perhaps not surprising that Caroline Wozniacki is still not the biggest fan of her ex Rory McIlroy.
Prior to his Masters win in Augusta, the former world No 1 tennis star couldn’t resist taking a dig at her ex-fiancé by pointedly throwing her support behind another player in an interview with ESPN.
Despite much of the golfing world hoping and predicting a McIlroy win at Augusta, Wozniacki and who atttended the Masters as a fan with her husband – retired NBA player David Lee – said: ‘We pick one that we think has a big chance of winning, and that was [Ludvig] Aberg.’
Aberg ended up finishing seventh, while McIlroy held his nerve on a tense final round to defeat Justin Rose in a sudden death playoff, as his loyal wife Erica Stoll looked on with their daughter Poppy.
The dynamic between Rory and Erica has generated just as much interest as his big win, coming less than a year after he filed for divorce, only to change his mind a month later.
It was no doubt a reminder of how Caroline’s painful break-up with the Northern Irish sports star played out in 2013, when he blindsided her by calling off their engagement in a three-minute phone call and taking up with Erica months later.
It seemed like history was repeating itself last year when he announced his shock split from Erica and was quickly linked to CBS sports reporter Amanda Balionis – although both have never outright addressed the rumours.
At the time of his divorce u-turn last year, sources put the decision to split from Erica down to the golfer’s impetuous nature, with one telling the Mail: ‘Rory is a bit of a law unto himself. Filing for divorce was all about Rory rushing into things. He is very spur of the moment and will just decide something without giving it much thought.
Although there was no change of heart on his relatonship with Caroline, the hasty break-up and a very public announcement will no doubt feel painfully familiar to the Danish athlete.
Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki, once considered a sports power couple, dated from 2011 to 2013. Their relationship ended unexpectedly when McIlroy called it off, telling the former Australian Open champion that he wasn’t ready for marriage.
The two had already sent out wedding invitations following a New Year’s Eve proposal in Sydney. Wozniacki had shared her excitement at the time, posting: “Happy New Year everyone! Rory and I started 2014 with a bang! I said YES!!!!”
However, just a few months later, McIlroy changed his stance. In a public statement, he explained: “There’s no ideal way to end a relationship that meant so much to both of us. The issue is mine. Sending out the wedding invitations made me realize I wasn’t prepared for everything that marriage involves.”
He added, “I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the wonderful moments we shared. I won’t be commenting further on our relationship.”
Wozniacki later expressed her shock over how the split happened, revealing in an interview with Graham Bensinger that it came via a phone call and she never heard from McIlroy again. “I was stunned. I thought he would at least do it in person, but it just ended like that.”
Fast forward to the present, McIlroy’s wife Erica Stoll has become a constant presence at his tournaments. On Sunday, she was seen by the 18th hole, dressed elegantly in white with a striking hat, as McIlroy celebrated a major victory.
After his win, McIlroy embraced Stoll, then knelt to hug their daughter Poppy. In an emotional speech, he thanked his family, saying, “They’ve supported me through everything. They understand how hard I’ve worked to keep coming back here.”
To Poppy, he added a heartfelt message: “Never give up on your dreams. Keep coming back. Keep working hard.”
