Rory McIlroy is working with a lawyer previously used by Tiger Woods and Tom Brady after filing for divorce.
The Northern-Irishman has split with wife Erica Stoll, with a statement from his communications team confirming the news.
"Rory McIlroy's communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed," they said.
"They stressed Rory's desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible. He will not be making any further comment."
Rory McIlroy has split from wife Erica Stoll after seven years of marriage
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McIlroy and Stoll started dating in 2014, though had actually met two years earlier when she was working as a PGA transport official at the Ryder Cup.
They have a young daughter together, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, who was born in 2020.
The filing at Palm Beach County State Court in Florida described the couple's marriage as 'irretrievably broken'.
It also says the couple want a co-parenting arrangement for their three-year-old daughter.
The paperwork also shows McIlroy has enlisted the services of Thomas Sasser as his attorney as the process commences.
Sasser has previously worked on several high-profile divorce cases, with Woods, Brady and Joe Jonas all enlisting his services over the years.
Woods used the lawyer in the wake of his split from wife Elin Nordegren back in 2010 after a huge cheating storm that shocked the world.
The golf icon admitted to being unfaithful, with American presenter Rachel Uchitel among the women he bedded behind his wife's back.
Nordegren, according to widespread reports, received around $100-$110million as part of their divorce settlement.
NFL icon Brady split with wife Gisele Bundchen in 2022.
And Sesser worked on that case, too, with the couple previously signing an 'ironclad prenup'.
Sasser, the managing partner of law firm Sasser, Cestero & Roy, also recently represented pop star Jonas in the wake of his divorce from Game of Thrones and X-Men star Sophie Turner.
While the couple's split has been confirmed, however, McIlroy is currently focused on his golf.
The 35-year-old is set to play in the PGA Championship, which commences on Thursday.
And he'll be hoping to add to his tally of four majors, having last won the same competition a decade ago.
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Rory McIlroy's lawyer previously worked with Tiger Woods after his split from his wife in 2010
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Golf star Padraig Harrington says it's tricky to predict how McIlroy will fare at the tournament given everything that's going on in his private life.
Speaking to the Belfast Telegraph, he said: “Obviously, with Rory, you know, there could be clarity there for him.
"But he's won the last two weeks so I don't know. I have no idea.
"You know, it's all very personal. I've seen people who've had stuff going on off the golf course and the golf course becomes a haven.
"Nobody can ask them the question out there. They are back at business as usual.
Joe Jonas also worked with Rory McIlroy's lawyer after his own divorce from Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner
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“But then I've seen others where, you know, just being out there, they weren't comfortable.
"So I just don't know where it's going to sit. And it's impossible to tell.
“There's no way anybody can tell me that there's a guaranteed, set cause and effect. There never is in golf.”
