McIroy Breaks Off Engagement with Wozniacki


Rory McIlroy has broken off his engagement to marry Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. The announcement was made by the two-time major winner in a statement on Wednesday, just a few days after the wedding invitations were sent out.

"The problem is mine," the 25-year-old Northern Irishman said in the statement released through his management firm. "The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realize that I wasn't ready for all that marriage entails.

"There is no right way to end a relationship that has been so important to two people. I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we have had. I will not be saying anything more about our relationship in any setting."

Yet when McIlroy was asked shortly after the announcement during a news conference for the BMW PGA Championship, a European Tour event that starts Thursday at the Wentworth Club in England, he said, "It is quite a difficult time for Caroline and myself, and the statement really said it all this morning," said a subdued McIlroy at Wentworth.

"It was mutual, and we both thought it was the best for us, the best for both of us. Time to move on, and I've said all that I need to say.

"I'm not going to lie," he continued. "It's going to be very difficult, but at least when I get inside the ropes, just try and concentrate on the shot at hand. There's no good time to sort of end a relationship I guess. I made a commitment to be here. It's the European Tour's flagship event."

According to an Independent.ie report, the couple sent out wedding invitations last weekend to friends of McIlroy in Northern Ireland and other notable figures, including former President Bill Clinton. The invitations indicated that the wedding would take place in New York in November.

The high-profile couple had been courting for two-plus years. The 25-year-old McIlroy and 23-year-old Wozniacki were engaged on New Year's Eve in Australia.

McIlroy is hoping his pairing in the BMW PGA's pro-am with three lads - Teddy Sheringham, Peter Schmeichel and Phil Neville - who played on his favorite soccer team, Manchester United, will cheer him up.

"I've been a Manchester United fan my whole life, and getting to play with three Manchester United legends is going to be a nice afternoon," McIlroy said. "I remember watching the Champions League final in '99 when United beat [Bayern] Munich in Barcelona, and it was a very memorable night. All those three guys were involved."