Speculation the McIlroys may be moving to the UK after his Masters wins has been described as “premature”(Image: Getty Images)
Speculation Rory McIlroy may be moving back to the UK following his Masters success have been described as “premature” by golf insiders, the Mirror can reveal.
Since winning the green jacket, speculation has mounted that the five-time major winner may be returning to Britain. Last month, rival golfer JJ Spaun revealed McIlory had told him he was building a home in the UK, indicating the Cotswolds area. Speaking on theFore Playpodcast, the American said: ”He’s super cool.
“We were talking about the UK. I know he’s Northern Irish, but I asked him if he ever hangs out in London. My wife has got a really good friend who lives out there and loves going there, so over the last couple of years, we go on this little vacation in December to the Cotswolds. I asked him about that, and he said, ‘Oh yeah, I’m building a house out there.’”
The home sits on 2.4 acres of land and is believed to have 10 bathrooms in addition to the nine bedrooms across the property(Image: MEGA)
But as speculation mounted today, sources told the Mirror it would not be happening “any time soon”. An insider who lives close to the McIlroys in Florida told the Mirror: “It is way too premature to think Rory and Erica are moving to the UK. Their daughter Poppy is settled, and Rory is committed to the PGA tour in the States. He has no plans to join the European one. You may see him and Erica more in the UK, but for now, as much as he loves Britain, his future is still in Florida. A move back to the UK will not be happening any time soon.”
The McIlroys will remain based at his sprawling £16.6 million mansion in Jupiter – a palatial 13,000-square-foot estate nestled in the ultra-exclusive Bear’s Club.
The private golf enclave founded by Jack Nicklaus in 1999 is home to just a handful of elite residents, mostly top-tier golfers and celebrities, and boasts world-class amenities and privacy.
McIlroy, 35, purchased the estate from golf legend Ernie Els in 2012 for a reported £8 million, but the property has since seen extensive renovations and upgrades.
The mansion sits on 2.4 acres of manicured land and features nine bedrooms and 10 bathrooms. Luxury pours from every corner with a state-of-the-art gym, a fully equipped home theatre, a billiards and games room, and a custom-designed recording studio.
The South Florida residence boasts a luxury infinity pool, as well as a games room, tennis court, home theatre, recording studio and state-of-the-art gym(Image: MEGA)
Outside, the grandeur continues with a newly renovated infinity-edge swimming pool that stretches alongside the main house. The landscaping is peppered with palm trees and tropical foliage, offering a resort-like ambience. There’s a tennis court on-site, as well as direct access to a private hole on the Bear’s Club golf course — allowing McIlroy to practice in complete seclusion. A six-car garage houses his collection of high-performance vehicles.
Despite this high-end Florida lifestyle, McIlroy has never strayed far from his roots. He still maintains ties to County Down, Northern Ireland, and reportedly owns additional properties, including a luxurious mansion in La Quinta, California and apartments in New York and the United Arab Emirates.
McIlroy marked his long-awaited Masters triumph in deeply emotional fashion, celebrating with his wife Erica, 37, and their four-year-old daughter Poppy just moments after sinking the winning putt.
His wife was the first person the golfer turned to after clinching the coveted Green Jacket.
The pair embraced tightly on the 18th green before McIlroy dropped to his knees to hug Poppy. As the tears flowed, he swept her into his arms, visibly moved by the magnitude of the moment.
Just outside where the McIlroys live are the tees for a hole for a golf course inside the gated community(Image: MEGA)
The win capped off not only a career milestone but also a personal chapter of renewal. McIlroy and Stoll presented a united front throughout the week at Augusta – a striking contrast to the upheaval of last year, when he stunned the sporting world by filing for divorce just days before the PGA Championship.
The move shocked fans and cast a shadow over his tournament form. But just a month later, McIlroy dramatically withdrew the petition, reconciling with Stoll ahead of the US Open.
Court filings from Palm Beach County at the time described the couple’s marriage as “irretrievably broken.”
