Rory McIlroy, 37, has spoken about the difficulties of maintaining a work-life balance on the PGA Tour, revealing that he missed his daughter Poppy's first day of school earlier this week. The World No. 2 was preparing for the BMW Championship in St. Louis, which began on Thursday.

McIlroy expressed regret over missing the milestone, stating his intention to prioritize spending more time with his wife, Erica Stoll, and their five-year-old daughter, Poppy. "I would have loved to have been home for that, but I'm here, so it's just stuff like that, things I didn't have 10 years ago that I have these days," McIlroy told reporters. "I am in a different spot in my life."

He added that as he gets older, he prioritizes family matters over golf, noting that "not all my eggs are in the golf basket." McIlroy indicated a desire to pursue "other things that I want to do" and "other things I feel like I have to do."

"It's a balance," he continued. "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 sharp, but then also I guess having balance in your life that you feel like you're not missing out on other things that you want to do."

Despite this desire for balance, McIlroy confirmed he will compete in five of the next six weeks, playing on both the PGA and DP World Tours. He noted that he still plays "more than most of the top guys."

McIlroy's personal life has seen significant events in recent years. In May 2024, he filed for divorce from Erica Stoll after seven years of marriage. Divorce papers filed in Palm Beach County Court, Florida, indicated that the couple was establishing arrangements for shared custody and a parenting plan for Poppy, who was then three years old. The documents stated the marriage was "irretrievably broken."

However, the couple later announced their reconciliation, with McIlroy describing the ordeal as a "wake-up call." At the time, he said, "Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning."

Previously, McIlroy utilized his private jet to travel between family and golf, enabling him to attend practice sessions at Augusta National while still connecting with his wife and daughter. He mentioned dropping Poppy off at school on occasion before flying to tournaments, then returning home for dinner with his family.