Rory McIlroy has celebrated an emotional reunion with the close-knit group of colleagues who provided him with a support network during the breakdown of his marriage to Erica Stoll.
The friends, nicknamed ‘Mac Pack’, come from the same leafy Belfast suburb of Holywood where the Northern Irish golf superstar was born and raised and met this week at the wedding of one of their number.
Located in an idyllic location in the vineyard-covered hills overlooking Siena, Rory was one of the ushers for his friend, golf agent Mitchell Tweedie, when he married his fiancée Lynsey Agnew, a wealth management specialist.
The event came at a turbulent time in the life of McIlroy, 35, as speculation grew about a budding romance with American television reporter Amanda Balionis, 38, a glamorous Keynote USA golf correspondent who was seen he had abandoned his own wedding ring in recent days.
The friends, nicknamed the ‘Mac Pack’ (from LR) Ricky McCormick, golf coach at Holywood Golf Club, Steven Davidson, brothers Dan Diamond and Harry Diamond, Mitchell Tweedie the groom and Rory McIlroy Rory McIlroy has celebrated an emotional reunion with the A close-knit group of colleagues who provide him with a support network during the breakup of his marriage to Erica Stoll. Pictured is Rory at the wedding of his friend, golf agent Mitchell Tweedie in Siena, Italy. Idyllically located in the vine-covered hills overlooking Siena, Rory was one of Tweedie’s ushers when he married his fiancée Lynsey Agnew, a wealthy management specialist.
Eyebrows were raised when Balionis enjoyed a flirtatious interview with McIlroy following his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina earlier this month, before the golfer announced his divorce from Stoll on the eve of the US PGA Major. Joined.
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Unsurprisingly, all members of this select group share Rory’s passion for golf and several, like groom Mitchell Tweedie, 33, chief operating officer of JMC Sport LLC, also work in the industry.
Others include Rory’s best friend and caddie, Harry Diamond. Both he and his younger brother Dan are believed to have been contemporaries of Rory at Holywood’s Sullivan Upper School, as well as being talented golfers (if not of McIlroy’s standard) and members of Holywood Golf Club.
Harry, who was never a professional golfer, has caddied for Rory since 2017, when he parted ways with his former caddie, veteran JP Fitzgerald.
In 2021, following a win at the Wells Fargo tournament in the US, McIlroy singled out his “impressive” young caddy Diamond and praised him.
Harry also served as best man at Rory’s wedding to Erica Stoll, which lasted seven years until he called it quits earlier this month, announcing they would file for divorce on the eve of the prestigious US PGA competition.
The event came at a turbulent time in the life of McIlroy, 35, as speculation grew about a budding romance with American television reporter Amanda Balionis, 38. In the photo, Rory as an usher at the wedding. Unsurprisingly, the members of this select group all share Rory’s passion for golf, and several, like boyfriend Mitchell Tweedie, 33, chief operating officer of JMC Sport LLC, also work in the industry. . Pictured: Tuscany, Italy In 2021, following a win at the Wells Fargo tournament in the US, McIlroy singled out his “impressive” young caddy Diamond and praised him. In the photo, Rory smiles during speeches at the glamorous event in Siena. Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll’s marriage reportedly reached a “breaking point” before they filed for divorce.
One of McIlroy’s team members (and an old man of Sullivan’s) who is still associated with Holywood Golf Club is Ricky McCormick, a coach at the club who is, rightly, proud of his association with the star.
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Rory was at the wedding of another old childhood friend, Steven Davidson, in 2017, when he was married to Maura Moore at St Michael’s Church, Enniskillen.
This week’s wedding in Tuscany was held against the stunning backdrop of a picturesque estate in the Siena hills.
The couple had taken over the entire exclusive Villa di Catignano for their three-day celebration, with more than 100 guests.
The open-air civil ceremony, held on a terrace of the villa, was led by celebrant Jo Bertolino and ended with the strains of Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles and Paradise by Coldplay.
Guests arrived on Tuesday evening and enjoyed pizza in the villa’s beautiful gardens, and on Wednesday they watched the wedding ceremony in the late afternoon, before enjoying a traditional wedding breakfast seated at three tables arranged in horseshoe shape in the elegant patio.
Instagram images posted after the event showed guests enjoying an a cappella performance by a tenor before the speeches.
The couple share a three-year-old daughter, Poppy, who was born in 2020 (McIlroy, Poppy and Stoll pictured in 2023). The open-air civil ceremony, held on a terrace of the villa, was led by celebrant Jo Bertolino and concluded. with the chords of Here Comes the Sun by the Beatles and Paradise by Coldplay. Guests arrived on Tuesday evening and enjoyed pizza in the villa’s beautiful gardens, and on Wednesday they watched the wedding ceremony in the late afternoon, before enjoying a traditional seated wedding breakfast. at three tables arranged in a horseshoe shape on the elegant patio The wedding was planned jointly by Russo Events and international wedding planner Lou Lou Memphis, who splits her year between Australia and Europe The bridesmaid holds her wedding bouquets during the ceremony in Siena, Italy Guests sit downstairs for the wedding party at the reception in a rural estate in Siena
Thursday was designated “The Cure” on the couple’s wedding website, with a barbecue and the chance to enjoy the pool with its idyllic views of the vineyards and surrounding hills.
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The wedding was co-planned by Russo Events and international wedding planner Lou Lou Memphis, who splits her year between Australia and Europe.
The bride’s makeup was done by professional makeup artist Dawn Rose, who flew in especially from Northern Ireland.
McIlroy is believed to have attended the Tuscan wedding alone, not least because the original invitation would almost certainly have been addressed to him and Mrs Stoll.
Eyebrows were raised when Balionis enjoyed a flirtatious interview with McIlroy following his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina earlier this month, before the golfer announced his divorce from Stoll.
The reasons behind McIlroy’s divorce were not immediately apparent, but according to a report, it appears that discord had been brewing for some time.
Us Weekly said Ms. Stoll was “lonely” in her marriage, and that the four-time major champion was “a difficult person to marry” because of his playing career.
The two “lived very different lives for the past two years while he was on tour and eventually she hit a breaking point,” according to the outlet.
‘She knew what she was getting into with her profession, but once they had (her daughter) Poppy, things really changed and she had a new perspective. “Erica was usually absent during most of her tournaments and was very focused on Poppy,” Us Weekly told Us.
McIlroy’s group issued a statement shortly after the divorce filing, saying it “emphasized Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.”
Rory and Erica began dating in 2015 after PGA Tour star and tennis star Caroline Wozniacki broke off their engagement in May 2014. Rory and Erica later got engaged in 2015 and married in April 2017. They share a son.
Erica McIlroy was a former employee of the PGA of America. She was seen alongside her at several tournaments, including last year’s Ryder Cup.
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