This is the photo taken by Caroline Wozniacki that left Rory McIlroy ‘upset’ just months before their relationship came to an abrupt end.
McIlroy’s three-year romance with tennis star Wozniacki has entered the spotlight once again after she opted against backing him ahead of his Masters triumph.
She said she thought Ludvig Aberg would take the green jacket, only for her ex to romp to victory and become only the sixth man to complete a Career Grand Slam – winning every major available.
McIlroy and Wozniacki, the former tennis world No1, had formed a sporting power couple between 2011 to 2014. The 35-year-old proposed to his then-partner on New Year’s Eve in Sydney, before splitting up with her just one month later.
Their split came just months after Wozniacki posted a picture of McIlroy sleeping with his mouth open and glasses on.
Sources at the time said he was ‘very upset by it’.
The tennis player captioned the photo, which she later deleted: ‘Jetlag @McIlroyRory? Lol!!’
Rory McIlroy and Caroline Wozniacki, pictured together at the Masters in 2013, shortly before the golfer broke off their engagement after wedding invitations had been sent
McIlroy, pictured with wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy, after his thrilling Masters win
Wozniacki and McIlroy split just months after she posted a photo of the golf star sleeping with his mouth open and glasses on, with sources at the time saying he was ‘very upset by it’
Wozniacki had revealed their engagement after a New Year’s Eve proposal in Sydney in 2013, with the Dane writing ‘Happy New Year everyone! Rory and I started 2014 with a bang! I said YES!!!!’.
The engagement proved short-lived with McIlroy surprising the former Australian Open champion by saying he was not ready for marriage just one month later.
At the time, he put out a statement, reading: ‘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.’
Wozniacki has since admitted to being stunned at the way in which the break-up was handled.
She previously told Graham Bensinger: ‘I was shocked. I thought at least I would get a face-to-face or something, but there was nothing. It was a phone call, and I did not hear from him again. It kind of just ended.
‘It was very hard because he made it very public from the start. He put out a press release and all of that so I didn’t have a choice, it just got put in my face.’
Despite Wozniacki’s claim that the break-up was one-sided, McIlroy said in an interview that the decision was mutual.
The sporting power couple, pictured here in 2012 at Newbury, broke up abruptly after McIlroy changed his mind on marriage
McIlroy and Wozniacki share a kiss during the Masters par three tournament in 2013
Wozniacki, pictured here with tennis icon Roger Federer and her husband David Lee, did not tip McIlroy to win at Augusta this year
‘It is quite a difficult time for Caroline and myself, and the statement really said it all,’ he told ESPN.
‘It was mutual, and we both thought it was the best for us, the best for both of us. Time to move on, and I’ve said all that I need to say.’
Both McIlroy and Wozniacki have long since moved on in their personal lives.
McIlroy has been married to his wife Erica Stoll since 2017 and the pair share a four-year-old daughter, Poppy.
Stoll and McIlroy first met when he was with Wozniacki and the American was working for the PGA of America.
They started dating months after his break up with the tennis ace and their first encounter was believed to be when she helped him make his tee time at the Ryder Cup after he overslept.
But their relationship hit the headlines last year when McIlroy filed for divorce in a move that appeared to come out of the blue, with echoes of the end of his relationship with Wozniacki.
There was speculation of a potential romance with CBS sports journalist Amanda Balionis after the pair appeared to enjoy a strong rapport during an interview at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Wozniacki opted against picking her ex-fiancee to win during an ESPN interview
The Dane picked Ludvig Aberg to claim the green jacket, but the Swede finished in seventh
But reports clarified that McIlroy and Balionis maintained a strictly professional relationship, and there was no romantic involvement between them.
Then came another abrupt change of direction, with the divorce petition voluntarily dismissed.
Wozniacki has been in a relationship with retired NBA player David Lee since 2017, with the couple marrying two years later.
Wozniacki is expecting her third child with Lee and they have a two-year-old, James, and three-year-old, Olivia.
The Danish tennis star and Lee were both among the spectators at this year’s Masters, with the couple being interviewed ahead of the major at Augusta.
Wozniacki opted against backing McIlroy to secure the green jacket, a move viewed by some as a dig at her ex-fiancé.
‘We pick one that we think has a big chance of winning, and that was [Ludvig] Aberg.’
Aberg ended up finishing seventh, while McIlroy held his nerve on a tense final round to defeat Justin Rose in a sudden death playoff.
