Rory McIlroy’s three-word message to wife Erica Stoll summed up his year
Rory McIlroy’s golf year ended with a straightforward thought after the Ryder Cup that pretty much encapsulated everything he’s experienced and endured during the 2025 PGA Tour season.
Just after Team Europe secured the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, McIlroy turned toward his wife, Erica Stoll, and said, “What a year.” While simple, the message carried weight after he had earlier accomplished a long-chased goal during the Masters under pressure from fans, media, and himself during the ride.
The short phrase was the smallest, unfiltered window into how he experienced 2025 in its entirety.
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McIlory’s season hit all emotions seconds after Shane Lowry’s clinching putt dropped and lifted Europe past the United States.
McIlroy’s message to Stoll came just before American spectators went as far as throwing a drink at Erica on the 17th hole. He said the behavior was unacceptable and insisted that golf should hold itself to a higher standard, and his stance drew support from golfers across the PGA Tour and from ESPN’s Mike Greenberg.
Greenberg stated that the environment crossed the line for a sport rooted in decorum and that such actions did not represent typical Americans. He also mentioned he had to watch parts of the broadcast with the sound off and even turned it off entirely because of the behavior of Team USA fans.
McIlroy played a crucial role for Europe despite losing his singles match to Scottie Scheffler.
He contributed to team victories, including the four-ball match where he and Shane Lowry defeated Justin Thomas and Cameron Young. His point total by the end of the event moved him past Tony Jacklin on the all-time Ryder Cup list.
McIlroy’s 2025 season featured a Masters victory in April, the long-sought moment that finally completed his Career Grand Slam. Some fans argued that the win alone justified the words he delivered to Erica.
Others pointed toward Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph as validation for how he defined his year. The Irish golfer did not win another PGA Tour tournament after Augusta, but he ended the year with over $16 million in earnings, thanks to three victories, including the Pebble Beach Pro-Am, the PLAYERS Championship, and the Masters.
He missed just one cut at the RBC Canadian Open, where he shot a 78 in the second round.
McIlory was consistently at the top of the leaderboards throughout the season. His win at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am saw him shoot a total of 266 over four rounds, finishing 21-under, and earning $3.6 million.
His early schedule involved finishing in the top 20 at The Genesis Invitational, tying for 15th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a score of 285, and winning the PLAYERS Championship with a score of 276, earning an additional $4.5 million.
