Rory McIlroy 'resolves differences' with his wife Erica and ends divorce proceedings ahead of US Open challenge

McIlroy filed for divorce on May 13, the day after winning the Wells Fargo Championship for the fourth time and just three days before the start of the US PGA Championship.

However, court records in Palm Beach County in Florida show that a "notice of voluntary dismissal" was filed on Tuesday and the case status is listed as "closed".

The four-time major winner told the Guardian: "There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool's game.

Rory McIlroy with his wife Erica

"Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning."

McIlroy met Erica in 2012 when she was working for the PGA of America at the Ryder Cup and McIlroy credited her with helping him get a police escort to the course after misreading his tee time for the Sunday singles.

After making it to the course with just minutes to spare, McIlroy went on to beat Keegan Bradley as Europe pulled off the 'Miracle at Medinah' by recovering from 10-6 behind to retain the trophy.

He and Erica married in 2017 and have one child together, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, who was born in 2020.

McIlroy declined to make any comment on the situation during the US PGA Championship at Valhalla, where he finished 12th, but looked noticeably more relaxed in his pre-tournament press conference at Pinehurst.

The world number three will play alongside Masters champion Scottie Scheffler and US PGA winner Xander Schauffele in the first two rounds of the year's third major.

McIlroy remains focused on becoming the most successful European player in history after a “come-to-Jesus” moment transformed his US Open record.

After winning his first major title at Congressional in 2011, McIlroy missed the cut in his title defence and failed to contend in the following three years before suffering a run of three straight early exits.

Since then however, the Northern Irishman has reeled off five straight top 10s, culminating in finishing second just a shot behind Wyndham Clark at Los Angeles Country Club last year.

“I feel like I really struggled at US Open set ups, 2016, ’17, ’18 in particular,” McIlroy said at Pinehurst, where he finished 23rd the last time the North Carolina venue staged the event.

“I sort of had a bit of a come-to-Jesus moment after that, tried to really figure out why that was. Then my performances from 2019 and after that have been really, really good.”

Asked what that revelation was, McIlroy added: “I would say embracing the difficult conditions, embracing the style of golf needed to contend at a US Open, embracing patience.

“Honestly, embracing what I would have called “boring” back in the day.

“Explosiveness isn’t going to win a US Open. It’s more methodically building your score over the course of four days and being okay with that. It’s more of a reframing of a mindset than anything else.”