A new picture shows Rory McIlroy‘s wife Erica Stoll sharing a warm embrace with the same ‘mystery blonde’ who hugged the golf star after his Masters victory on Sunday.
The Northern Irishman had a long line of friends waiting to congratulate him next to the 18th green at Augusta National after finally completing the career Grand Slam on Sunday evening.
But one heartfelt moment that caught the eye was McIlroy’s reunion with a mystery blonde shortly after he had celebrated with Erica and their daughter Poppy.
McIlroy, 35, was overcome with emotion as he hugged the woman for about 12 seconds in front of the gaze of the television cameras and the magnitude of his achievement began to sink in.
The woman in question, who was also filmed standing next to Erica as McIlroy sank the winning putt in the playoff, was Kate Rose – the wife of the man McIlroy defeated in sudden death in Justin Rose.
But a new image shows Kate hugging Erica just seconds after McIlroy had holed the winning putt to claim the green jacket.
Golf reporter Kyle Porter shared the picture on X and added: ‘Oh wow I didn’t see this one either, but Kate hugged Erica about 3 seconds after the putt dropped.’
Rory McIlroy shared an emotional hug with Kate Rose, Justin’s wife, after Masters glory
The tender moment between Kate and McIlroy was a reflection upon how close he is with Rose, who has now twice lost a playoff to win the Masters.
They have been Ryder Cup teammates for many years and will almost certainly team up again for Europe later this year when the event is held at Bethpage, just outside New York.
According to Kyle Porter of Normal Sport, Kate Rose told McIlroy: ‘I’m really, really happy for you.’
It echoed the classy message that her husband sent McIlroy on social media in the aftermath of one of the most dramatic days in golf’s storied history.
‘I gave it everything,’ Rose wrote. ‘Congratulations Rory McIlroy on winning the Masters and completing the Grand Slam.
‘Very cool sharing the green with you in that moment… thank you Team Rose as always for all the support during the week… We go again.’
Just 11 months ago, McIlroy had filed for divorce from Stoll, sparking speculation of a potential romance with CBS reporter Amanda Balionis after the pair appeared to enjoy a strong rapport during a flirtatious interview at the Wells Fargo Championship.
However, McIlroy and Stoll have since reconciled and appeared to be every bit the happy couple after he won in Augusta.
Neither Balionis nor McIlroy have addressed their rumored romance, which was never confirmed.
Balionis was present for every dramatic moment at Augusta and following the event, she took to Instagram to document the tournament. However, fans noticed the glaring omission of the interviews with McIlroy from the 14-image catalogue uploaded on the social media platform.
McIlroy poses for pictures with Erica and their daughter Poppy after his Masters success
The 38-year-old’s collection included snaps from around the famous course, interview segments and catch ups with friends.
She accompanied the post with the message: ‘2025 has been all about gratitude and last week was no exception. So grateful for these experiences, the people I get to learn from and work with and for those who somehow make the best job in the world even better. Until next year Augusta!’
Following his success earlier this week, McIlroy sat down for an interview with Balionis and opened up on the support system that helped him win the 2025 Masters, mentioning his friend and caddy, Harry Diamond, and his daughter, while noticeably omitting his wife Erica.
‘I have had an incredible support system the whole way throughout my life as an only child, the support that I had from my parents, they saw some potential in me as a golfer, and they give me every opportunity to try to fulfill that potential,’ McIlroy told Balionis.
‘To have Poppy there and to see… you know, I want to make her proud,’ he continued. ‘I want her to be able to experience these things.
‘I said on the on the green, while I was doing the trophy presentation, I hadn’t given up for 17 years. And I think that’s a really good lesson for any young boy or girl that was watching that: Never give up on your dreams and to keep fighting for it. And if you do the work, and you put in the effort, that you can achieve anything, and hopefully, Poppy saw that today.’
