Rory McIlroy’s former agent blames Open Championship nightmare on ‘really messy life’ amid Erica Stoll divorce U-turn drama

Rory McIlroy’s former agent blames Open Championship nightmare on ‘really messy life’ amid Erica Stoll divorce U-turn drama

 

Rory McIlroy, the Northern Irish golf sensation, is grappling with a significant challenge at the Open Championship in Royal Troon. His performance woes persist as he teeters on the brink of missing the cut, having finished seven-over-par on Thursday.

 

Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler, McIlroy’s former agent, shared his insights with talkSPORT, pinpointing the golfer’s struggles to distractions in his personal life. Chandler, who managed McIlroy earlier in his career, believes that external pressures are hampering the golfer’s ability to seize critical moments on the course.

 

“The top, top players obviously play better more often, and then the really top players take their chances,” Chandler noted. “That’s all that’s happened with Rory. Rory’s played fantastically for ten years; he just doesn’t take any chances.”

 

Chandler added, “Looking from the outside, and I haven’t seen Rory for a couple of years, but to me, it looks like his life is messy. You know what it’s like as a sportsman; you have to have total focus and keep your mind on what you’re doing.”

 

Chandler pointed to McIlroy’s involvement in the PGA Tour’s battle against LIV Golf, his public stance shifts, marital issues, and relentless media scrutiny as contributing factors to his current form. “It looks like Rory has spent a year and a half fighting LIV for the PGA Tour, then the PGA Tour pulled the rug from under him, then he started talking about LIV not being too bad, then he had his marriage problems, and then he’s got such media scrutiny because he hasn’t won a major in ten years,” Chandler explained. “So he just can’t get away from it. I think his life is really messy.”

 

McIlroy began the second round at Royal Troon on Friday, aiming to make the cut after a challenging first day, where the infamous postage stamp eighth hole contributed to his struggles. His precarious position at the Open follows a dramatic loss to Bryson DeChambeau at the US Open in North Carolina last month. Leading by one shot, McIlroy missed crucial par putts on the 17th and 18th holes, sealing his fate in a heart-wrenching finish.

 

Adding to the tumult, McIlroy’s off-course life has been equally eventful. In May, just before the PGA Championship, he filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, citing irretrievable differences. Rumors soon swirled about a possible relationship with CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis after they were seen hugging post-interview at the RBC Canadian Open. However, McIlroy stunned fans again by reconciling with Stoll ahead of the latest major tournament. Stoll was seen supporting him at the Scottish Open, but her absence at Royal Troon has not gone unnoticed.

 

Despite the reconciliation, McIlroy’s major drought continues. He hasn’t clinched a major title since the 2014 PGA Championship, and his recent performances have only intensified scrutiny.

 

Reflecting on McIlroy’s evolution, Chandler remarked, “He was just a focused kid who wanted to be the best player in the world; he just wanted to win majors. But then, as he’s got older – and everybody, to be fair, as they get older, your life gets messier, doesn’t it? You’ve got family, you’ve got wives, you’ve got business, you’ve got investment. Things get messier. And I think his life has got messy.”

 

As McIlroy faces the daunting task of turning his fortunes around at Royal Troon, Chandler remains hopeful. “Listen, he’ll go out and do his best today [Friday], and his best is very good. So if he plays his best, he could make the cut, but he’ll have to play very, very well, won’t he? And what is he, seven over? He’s got to shoot 67 or less, which he’s well capable of.”

 

“But in his mind, it’ll be, ‘What time can I get out of here?’ The last place I think he wants to be at the moment, certainly playing badly, is a golf course. He just wants to get back to his normal life.”