Rory McIlroy Says Daughter Poppy Is 'Starting to Take Interest' in Golf

Professional golfer Rory McIlroy‘s daughter Poppy, 4, might be following in her father’s footsteps already.

“We got her her first real clubs for her birthday this year, so she’s started taking a little bit of an interest,” McIlroy, 35, told host Patrick Kielty during an appearance on The Late Late Show on Saturday, September 14.

McIlroy also addressed whether he’d like his daughter to pursue the sport professionally when she’s older.

“If she did [become a pro golfer], I would be 100 percent supportive, but at the same time, I wouldn’t mind if she did something different,” he explained.

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While appearing on The Late Late Show, McIlroy discussed his recent hiatus from golf and why taking a break from the sport was imperative.

“There’s been a lot going on this year from golf-wise and then, obviously, personal-wise as well,” he candidly explained. “Sometimes life can get a lot and it can get too much, and I had to take a little bit of a break and get away from the game more than anything else.”

Taking time away from his sporting career seemed to allow McIlroy to refocus his attention on other aspects of his life.

“[What’s] actually important to me is friends, family [and] enjoying myself,” the professional golfer revealed. “Enjoy the fact that you were this little boy in Holywood, and you’ve grown up to be whatever it is that I am, and I need to enjoy that time.”

After a challenging appearance at the U.S. Open in June 2024, McIlroy announced he was taking a break from the world of golf for a while.

“I’m going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defense of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon,” he wrote on X.

The same month, McIlroy filed to dismiss divorce proceedings he’d previously filed against his wife Erica Stoll.

“Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together,” McIlroy explained in a statement to The Guardian in June. “Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”

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Stoll and McIlroy tied the knot in 2017 and welcomed daughter Poppy on August 31, 2020.

A source previously revealed to Us that Stoll’s priority was their daughter.

“She knew what she was getting into with his profession, but once they had Poppy, things really changed and she had a new perspective,” the insider exclusively told Us. “Erica was usually absent for most of his tournaments and was really focused on Poppy.”