Why Rory McIlroy wants to prioritize family as he laments missing daughters first day of school

Rory McIlroy said “not all of my eggs are in the golf basket” at this stage in his life.The world No.2 explained that it’s hard for him to find a balance between his personal life and his career while speaking ahead of BMW Championship in St.

Louis — adding that he missed his daughter Poppy’s first day of school on Wednesday.“It’s trying to find that balance and then trying to be home enough… it’s [my daughter] Poppy’s first day of school today,” McIlroy said at Bellerive Country Club this week.“I would have loved to have been home for that, but I’m here.“Just stuff like that … things I didn’t have 10 years ago that I have these days.

I’m in a different spot in my life.”Poppy, who will turn 6 on Aug.31, is McIlroy and his wife, Erica Stoll’s, only child.The couple reconciled their marriage after he filed for divorce in May 2025.The five-time major champion added that he’s playing five of the next six weeks.

“So I’m going to play, over the course of a calendar year, I still play more than most of the top guys, because I play on both tours [the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour].” The Northern Irishman — who took a few weeks off before his struggles at the FedEx St.Jude Championship last week — explained that he’s prioritizing his family at this point in his life.“As the years go on you try to, you know, life happens and things that you didn’t have in your mid 20s you have in your mid 30s that you prioritize over golf, right,” McIlroy said.

“Prioritize things with your family or things that you don’t want to miss.That’s the stage of life where I’m at.

Where, you know, not all my eggs are in the golf basket.“There’s other things that I want to do and there’s other things that I feel like I have to do.Yeah, it’s a balance.

Some years I’ll maybe play more, some years I’ll maybe play where it’s a little bit lighter.But it’s just that balance of making sure that you play enough to stay ...