Masters champion Rory McIlroy has returned to the UK ahead of The Open Championship next month, and is looking to take a ‘mental break’ with his wife Erica and daughter Poppy

Rory McIlroy is returning to the UK with Erica and Poppy(Image: Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated via Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy has confirmed that he’s taking a two-week break and returning to the UK with his wife Erica and daughter Poppy, after choosing to skip the Rocket Classic in Detroit.

McIlroy has enjoyed a stunning season after ending his 11-year drought for a major victory, which saw him win the Masters in April. McIlroy’s success in Augusta saw him become the sixth golfer in history to complete the Grand Slam, but he showed signs of frustration in following events, such as the PGA Championship and the US Open.

The Northern Irish golfer has avoided most media interviews since winning the Masters and has since admitted that a ‘mental break’ is required. McIlroy’s wife has made it clear that she’d like to spend more time in the UK and away from Florida, and she has been granted her wish as he passed up the chance to win a top prize of $1.7 million in Detroit.

McIlroy’s form has been inconsistent since winning the Masters, which came after he won at Pebble Beach and TPC Sawgrass. McIlroy was tied-seventh at the Truist Championship, struggled at the PGA Championship, and missed the cut at the RBC Canadian Open.

A frustrating week at Oakmont saw McIlroy finish tied-19th at the US Open after barely making the cut, and he was tied-sixth at the recent Travelers Championship. After his final round on Sunday, McIlroy confirmed that he would temporarily depart the United States with his family.

“I think more so than anything else it’ll just be good for me mentally to take a little bit of a break and get back to my neck of the woods, get back to the UK for a little bit,” McIlroy said. “I’m excited for that and I’ve alluded to the fact I probably haven’t taken enough time off or time to reflect after what happened in April.

McIlroy is taking some time off before the final major of the year(Image: Alex Goodlett, Getty Images)

“So I’m excited to do a little bit of that over these next two weeks.” McIlroy was 𝐛𝐨𝐫𝐧 and raised in Northern Ireland, but Erica is from upstate New York. However, Erica has previously complained about the warmer climate in Florida and is eager to spend more time in the UK.

A new mansion is being built for McIlroy and Erica in Surrey, England, and they will soon be UK residents. Erica’s preference for a cooler place of residence was revealed on the Netflix docuseries Full Swing after German golfer Martin Kaymer opened up to McIlroy about a conversation he shared with Erica.

“I saw her [Erica] at a Starbucks once, and she said, ‘I really don’t like the sun.’ I said, ‘Your state’s called the Sunshine State [Florida], right?'” Kaymer said.

Erica has made it clear that she wants to spend more time in the UK(Image: Getty Images)

McIlroy replied: “If it was up to her, she wouldn’t move to England straightaway. But she definitely wants to spend more time there.”

Erica and McIlroy will soon divide their time between Surrey and Florida, but the golfer is excited to escape to the UK for a needed break. McIlroy has recently revealed his frustration with the media and also looked unhappy while on the course.

“I feel like I live two different lives,” McIlroy said. ‘I’m a dad and a husband when I’m away from here, and then I’m who I am when I’m here. It’s always nice to get away and feel a bit of normality.”

The next two competitions on McIlroy’s schedule are in the UK, starting with the Genesis Scottish Open on July 10. The year’s final major, The Open Championship, will begin on July 17.