Rory McIlroy is reportedly considering a move away from his home of five years, South Florida, to London.
Per The Telegraph’s Golf Correspondent James Corrigan, the four-time Major winner intends to relocate to the Surrey stockbroker belt close to the English capital, but not imminently. Instead, the 34-year-old hopes to do so once his three-year-old daughter Poppy is old enough for secondary school.
This week, McIlroy, whose wife Erica is American, will make his first start since playing a pivotal role in Team Europe’s Ryder Cup win when he appears in the season-finale of the DP World Tour, the DP World Tour Championship.
The 34-year-old is already confirmed as 2023 Race to Dubai champion after playing in nine tournaments that counted towards his winning points total in the standings, and if he goes ahead with the plan, it is likely he could become an even greater presence on the Europe-based circuit. However, according to a Telegraph source, such a move doesn’t necessarily mean he’d need to reduce his activities on the PGA Tour.
The source said: “Erica and Rory love London and have decided this is where they see their future in a few years time. They will still have a base in Florida and, although there might be thoughts of scaling back on his schedule a bit by then, the private jet means he will still have the options of playing anywhere and everywhere.”
While the potential move is still several years away, McIlroy’s membership of private club Queenwood in Ottershaw, Surrey, appears to offer a good indication of the area he and his family will ultimately settle on. Meanwhile, the DP World Tour’s headquarters, Wentworth, which also hosts flagship event the BMW PGA Championship, is nearby. The Telegraph also reports that the land for the family home has already been purchased.
If McIlroy goes ahead with the move, he will follow in the footsteps of fellow PGA Tour pro Justin Rose, who has moved back to the UK after spending 10 years in Atlanta followed by another decade in the Bahamas.
McIlroy’s apparent openness to a move to the UK contrasts with comments he made before the 2019 Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii, where he said: “My life’s here [in the US]. I have an American wife. I live in America. Honestly, I enjoy it here more. The way of life is easier. The weather. The convenience.”
However, later that year he appeared to be more open to the possibility of a move back over the Atlantic, with Irish Golfer reporting that McIlroy was planning to buy a house in the London area.
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