The guests at Tuesday night’s White House state dinner for Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla included conservative Supreme Court justices, top CEOs, Fox News personalities and some members of Congress and President Donald Trump’s cabinet.
And right there among them was golf legend Rory McIlroy and his wife, Irondequoit native Erica Stoll.
In speaking to guests, Trump mostly stuck to his prepared remarks, but he deviated to praise McIlroy, who just weeks ago won the Masters Tournament for the second year in a row.
After asking McIlroy to stand, Trump said: “That was unconquerable courage. That was very good Rory. … I had to interrupt my speech because I watched that man win a tournament that was a tough one.
“Congratulations, very proud of you,” said Trump, as McIlroy received a round of applause.
The McIlroys were seated near House Speaker Mike Johnson and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The dinner, held in the East Room of the White House, was part of King Charles’ four-day state visit to the United States.
Who is Erica Stoll?
Stoll grew up in Irondequoit. She graduated from Irondequoit High School in 2003 and from Rochester Institute of Technology in 2008 with a degree in marketing.
She previously worked for the PGA of America, where she held roles including transport official and manager of championship volunteer operations.
She met McIlroy during the 2012 Ryder Cup, when she helped him avoid missing his tee time — a moment that eventually led to their relationship.
McIlroy and Stoll married April 22, 2017, at Ashford Castle in Ireland after getting engaged in Paris. They have one daughter, Poppy, who was born in 2020.
In 2024, McIlroy filed for divorce, but the couple later reconciled.
McIlroy later said they decided their “best future was as a family together.”
After winning the 2026 Masters, McIlroy thanked his wife and daughter, calling them his “biggest supporters” and joking, “They have to put up with me at home, and trust me, sometimes that’s a tough thing to do.”
Reporter Marcia Greenwood covers the grocery business and consumer-focused grocery news, as well as retail development, openings and closings. Send story tips to mgreenwo@rocheste.gannett.com. Follow her on X @MarciaGreenwood.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Rory McIlroy, Erica Stoll attend White House dinner for King Charles
Reporting by Marcia Greenwood, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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