How 'ruthless' Rory McIlroy is as single-minded in romance as he is on the course: Golf star who's split with wife Erica Stoll dumped childhood sweetheart 'out of the blue' and cancelled wedding with Caroline Wozniacki after invites had gone out

Golf superstar Rory McIlroy once declared there was no ‘right way’ to end a relationship.

And the multi-millionaire sportsman - who announced the end of his seven-year marriage to American wife Erica Stoll earlier this week - has certainly had more than his fair share of explosive break-ups that have left behind a trail of heartache.

First there was childhood sweetheart Holly Sweeney who has told of her devastation after McIIroy dumped her ‘out of the blue’ after six years together.

She was ditched for tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki who was left heartbroken three years later when McIIroy ended their love match in a three minute phone call - just days after the couple had sent out their wedding invitations.

It seemed a harsh and callous way to end a romance that appeared to have been made in heaven.

Rory McIlroy and ex-wife Erica Stoll posing at the Spanish Steps in 2023. The couple announced the end of their seven-year marriage this week

Tennis ace Caroline Wozniacki was left heartbroken when McIIroy ended their love match in a three minute phone call - just days after the couple had sent out their wedding invitations

McIlroy and childhood sweetheart Holly Sweeney pictured at the European Tour Players Awards Dinner in 2011

Yet insiders have told MailOnline the Northern Ireland golfer is not afraid to take decisive action once he feels a relationship has run its course.

One said: ‘When he decides it’s over it’s a really clinical decision, he’s not scared of confronting that decision.

‘He’s not shy of saying it and dealing with it even if there is overlap with something else, like a major competition or anything else.

‘He is ruthless on the golf course and in real life and if he sees that his relationship is going wrong he’s not shy about ending it and moving on.’

McIIroy himself - who was also once linked with Meghan Markle before her marriage to Prince Harry - has admitted to being ‘a pretty selfish person’ for ‘a long time’.

It was that single-minded determination which helped turn him into one of the game’s greatest players while amassing a £200 million fortune.

But after the birth of daughter Poppy in 2000 he insisted his outlook on life had changed.

He said; ‘I grew up as an only child and an only child playing golf so I feel like the whole world revolved around me for a long time, and now it doesn’t.

‘It revolves around this little person that came into the world a few weeks ago, and it’s a nice change.’

Now friends have been left ‘blindsided’ after the world number two filed for divorce just days before the US PGA Championship at Valhalla in Kentucky.

The timing of the bombshell announcement appears less than ideal as Mcllroy prepared to launch his latest bid to land a fifth major trophy - which would be his first in 10 years.

McIlroy and Meghan Markle flirted in a video shared on social media, after Meghan had contacted McIIroy asking him to take part in the Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral trend adopted by many celebs to raise money for motor neurone disease

And it comes as McIlroy and Erica, 36, were preparing to move into a dream family home on a plot of land they bought on the exclusive Wentworth estate in Surrey.

Instead divorce papers filed at Palm Beach County Court, Florida, show the couple are drawing up arrangements for shared custody and a parenting plan to be established for Poppy, three.

The documents state that the marriage was ‘irretrievably broken’.

Mcllroy - who has asked for the couple’s prenuptial agreement to be upheld - has hired the same attorney who represented his friend Tiger Woods when his wife divorced him in 2010.

The golfer’s turbulent love life first hit the headlines after his split from Holly in 2011.

The couple met as teenagers at Holywood Golf Club, and dated for six years.

Holly, a former Ulster Rugby cheerleader, was at McIIroy’s side every step of the way as he set out on his path to glory.

In his 2011 documentary Rory’s Major Breakthrough, he glowingly said of Holly: ‘She knows me better than basically anyone else in this world does, apart from my parents. And someone like that with you is very grounding.’

But just weeks later McIIroy ended the relationship saying the split was ‘amicable’.

A different story emerged after Holly, now 34, told how her world came crashing down when she was ditched for Wozniacki.

In a devastating interview Holly said: ‘Rory ran away with Caroline. I never thought he would do this to me.

‘It killed me - I went away to Dubai as soon as we split up so I didn’t have to look or think about it.

‘I always suspected he had a thing for her. He’s always been a big fan of tennis. When he was watching the women’s games he always said he fancied her but I didn’t take it that seriously - little did I know.’

The couple were living in a mansion in County Down when McIIlroy jetted off to a boxing match in Germany - where he met Danish star Caroline who was then the world’s number one.

Holly said: ‘I thought something was up because I didn’t really hear from him during the trip to that boxing match in Germany that she was at.

‘Then he got home, went straight to see the dogs instead of me, dodged me when he came through the door and then sat me down and told me that he met with her in Germany and that he wanted to see how it would go with her.’

Journalist Paul Martin, who became a confidante of Holly’s after the split, told MailOnline: ‘Holly confided in me at the time about it all. That was his childhood sweetheart don’t forget, it was pretty ruthless. He can be ruthless - it’s not actually all about the sport or anything - it’s quite ruthless, you know?

‘So he’s ruthless on the golf course, right? He has to be, that’s why he’s great, and he’s ruthless in his love life, that’s what I’m saying.

‘Because when she told me that story, it was somebody who wanted to go and get what they needed now.’

Holly was not left ‘high and dry’ by McIIroy who bought her a £300,000 two-storey penthouse apartment in Belfast city centre and made sure she had the financial means to rebuild her life.

She eventually moved on with a lesser-known sportsman - American ice hockey player Jeff Mason who is now a coach with the Belfast Giants team.

The couple tied the knot in 2016 and have a young son Max.

After Holly announced she was pregnant, McIIroy sent her his best wishes.

He said: ‘I’m happy for her. It’s great to see she’s happy.’

Mcllroy’s relationship with Caroline went from strength to strength despite often being on opposite sides of the world due to their differing schedules.

The couple each announced on social media that they had got engaged on New Year’s Eve in 2013 with McIIroiy claiming the next day it was his ‘first victory’ of the year.

Caroline tweeted excitedly: ‘Rory and I started 2014 with a bang! ... I said YES!!!!’.

But the relationship ended dramatically just months later just after they had sent out their wedding invitations.

Announcing the split in May 2014, McIIroy said ‘it was mutual’ and that they ‘both thought it was the best.’

But it was later claimed McIIroy had phoned his fiancee to inform her of his intentions in the 180-second call.

Caroline - who had already reportedly tried on her wedding dress - is said to have initially thought the call was a practical joke.

The golfer later confessed that it was his decision to end the romance.

He said: ‘There is no right way to end a relationship that has been so important to two people.

‘The problem is mine. The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realise that I wasn’t ready for all that marriage entails.

‘I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we’ve had. I will not be saying anything more about our relationship in any setting.’

Caroline also went on to find happiness with another sportsman - revealing on Valentine’s Day 2017 that she was in a relationship with former NBA basketball player David Lee.

The couple married in June 2019 and have two young children.

Meanwhile McIIroy was linked with Irish model Nadia Forde in 2014 before rumours emerged the same year of a romance with Meghan Markle.

The couple flirted in a video shared on social media, after Meghan had contacted McIIroy asking him to take part in the Ice Bucket Challenge, a viral trend adopted by many celebs to raise money for motor neurone disease.

In her blog The Tig which Meghan deleted before her 2018 wedding to Harry, she wrote gushingly after their encounter in New York.

She described him not only as being the ‘foremost golfer in the world’ but also of having qualities ‘rarely seen in men his age.’

She added: ‘The most endearing quality of this man is his character - as real and honest as they come.

‘He is not just the real deal… he is real. And perhaps that is what makes him even more cherished.’

Meghan’s then boyfriend is said to have quizzed her twice about her relationship with McIIroy with the actress insisting they were ‘just friends’.

McIIroy first met Erica in 2012 when she was working for the PGA at the Ryder Cup.

She came to his rescue after the golfer misread his tee time and was late setting off for the Medinah Country Club in Illinois.

Erica organised a police escort which enabled McIlroy to reach the course with minutes to spare.

He went on to beat Keegan Bradley as Europe pulled off the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ by recovering from 10-6 behind to retain the trophy.

Their relationship began shortly after his split with Caroline.

They got engaged in 2015 and tied the knot two years later at a star-studded ceremony attended by Ed Sheeran, Stevie Wonder and Coldplay singer Chris Martin.

The golfer described his wife as a ‘great influence’ and a ‘low-key person’ that brings a ‘calming presence’ to his life.

McIIroy said of the relationship: ‘The thing I love about it is that we were friends before anything romantic happened.

‘We met when she was working for the PGA of America and renting a condo in Palm Beach, and I found it refreshing being with someone who was living a normal life rather than, ‘Oh! My jet is 30 minutes late’.

‘I feel in such a good place now. I don’t feel Erica wants to change me in any way. I can be myself around her - there’s no bulls**t, no acting, no show.’

McIIroy described Poppy as the ‘absolute love of their lives’ after she was born in September 2020 and the couple appeared to be living the dream life at their £7.6 million mansion in Jupiter Florida.

Erica regularly supported her husband at tournaments and she acted as his caddy for the Masters Par-3 competition with Poppy in tow in 2023. The McIlroy family were notably absent from the traditional, annual event.

McIIroy had ditched his wedding ring before heading out to Louisville course. Meanwhile Erica was no longer wearing her £500,000 engagement sparkler when she was spotted out in public for the first time since the announcement.