Rory McIlroy has reportedly hired Thomas Sasser to represent him during his divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll. If Sasser’s name looks familiar, that’s because he has a long history of representing high-profile celebrities during splits between partners.
McIlroy reportedly filed for divorce in Florida on May 13, one day after he earned his 26th win on the PGA Tour after finding the winner’s circle at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Shortly after news of the divorce broke, McIlroy’s communications team confirmed that the filing had been made while stressing “Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.”
The Daily Mail obtained the divorce filing and has reported that the documents state that the marriage was “irretrievably broken.” The filing reportedly states that McIlroy and Stoll signed a prenuptial agreement and calls for shared custody and a parenting plan for their daughter, Poppy, who was born in 2020.
The documents also listed Sasser as McIlroy’s representative.
Sasser, the managing partner of law firm Sasser, Cestero & Roy, P.A. in West Palm Beach, is best known for representing Tiger Woods when his wife, Elin Nordegren, divorced him in 2010.
Rory McIlroy is getting a divorce. (Photo by Andrew Reddington/Getty Images)
One of the most memorable aspects of Woods and Nordegren's divorce was that she ended up receiving a $750 million settlement. This was far more than Nordegren and her lawyers had originally sought.
Since becoming Woods' agent, Mr. Sasser has represented Joe Jonas in his divorce from Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner and former NFL quarterback Tom Brady in his divorce. He has represented Gisele Bündchen and others.
McIlroy first met Stoll in 2012 when she was working for the PGA of America and the Ryder Cup at Medina Country Club. Four-time major champion McIlroy admitted she was instrumental in getting a police escort to the golf course after McIlroy misjudged the tee time for a match at the biennial tournament.
When the two first met, McIlroy was dating tennis superstar Caroline Wozniacki at the time. McIlroy and Wozniacki became engaged before splitting in 2014. He and Stoll got engaged in December 2015 and tied the knot at Ashford Castle in April 2017.
