Rory McIlroy about to become father

Rory McIlroy has been struggling to get his game back after golf resumed in the new, fan-less normal.

"My mind has been wandering the last few weeks," McIlroy told reporters after he shot a three-over par 73 to slip into a tie for sixth on two-over 212 and three shots behind co-leaders Hideki Matsuyama and Dustin Johnson.

And now we may know why.

In what must be golf’s best kept secret, Rory’s wife Erica Stoll is reportedly nine months pregnant — which may explain why he doesn’t plan on playing outside the USA anytime soon.

The golfer is currently in the US, competing in the BMW Championship on the PGA tour — and it would appear that he managed to keep the pregnancy a secret from fans up until the last minute.

"We're about to be parents very soon, so we're obviously super excited," McIlroy said. "We've been sharing the news with friends and family, obviously, but I didn't think it was something that I really particularly needed to share out here. It's a private matter, but we're really excited and can't wait for her to get here."

McIlroy has been waiting for the most important call of his life – that Erica has gone into labor. He admitted that at times he hasn’t been as focused as he normally would because he doesn't know if he'll have to leave in the middle of a round.

When the call comes, McIlroy will answer

The expecting couple met during the 2012 Ryder Cup, when New York native Erica Stoll—who was then working for the PGA of America—helped Rory make his tee-time for a Sunday singles match after he overslept. They began officially dating only in 2015 and were married in April 2017 in a fairytale wedding in Ashford Castle.

Apparently, his caddie and longtime friend, Harry Diamond, is keeping his phone close.

If he got the call during the round on Sunday or next week at the Tour Championship, "I'd be out of here," McIlroy said.

"I'm going to play in many more Tour Championships, and it's only going to be the birth of your first child once," he said. "That trumps anything else."

It is not clear how the news will affect Rory McIlroy's sporting calendar and whether he will need to miss either the Tour Championship (which runs from September 4 to September 7) or the US Open (from September 17 to September 20) next month.

from Tennis World USA https://ift.tt/3lAmE12