It was hardly a surprise when Alan Shipnuck announced he would write a book on Rory McIlroy. Titled Rory: The Heartache and Triumph of Golf’s Most Human Superstar, the book was published on April 7, 2026, and is available on Amazon for $29.50. And if you expected the book to receive the same kind of reaction as Shipnuck’s book on Phil Mickelson, then you’re right, especially with the Masters only days away.
In his book, Shipnuck claims McIlroy and his wife Erica Stoll nearly divorced for the same reason he and Caroline Wozniacki split. It recounts their first meeting in 2012 at the Ryder Cup, followed by swift rumors and whispers that McIlroy was flirting with her while still dating Wozniacki.
McIlroy proposed to Wozniacki in December 2013 but called it off five months in. Stoll and he allegedly began seeing each other soon thereafter, going official in 2015. But years later, rumors buzzed about McIlroy and CBS reporter Amanda Balionis being “the talk of the links,” as per the Daily Mail. Insiders, however, told Shipnuck that there was nothing romantic between McIlroy and Balionis.
As the rumors gained steam, he filed for divorce from Stoll in May 2024, citing an “irretrievably broken” marriage. Weeks later, he paused the proceedings, informing the Guardian that their most promising future lay in remaining a family. The couple has a daughter, Poppy.
During tournament weeks, including his Masters win, McIlroy often spots both Stoll and Poppy cheering him on. Though many viewed the move as a sign that things were finally getting better between the couple, Shipnuck saw the abrupt reversal as telling of McIlroy’s character.
Rory McIlroy’s ‘reckless’ behavior destroyed Caroline Wozniacki relationship – and his marriage barely survived it https://t.co/OkqjHpJIUQ pic.twitter.com/vj1B87rF4x
— New York Post (@nypost) April 6, 2026
In his book, according to the New York Post, he writes, “The short-lived divorce proceedings and hasty reconciliation said more about him than her,” adding, “But McIlroy’s life has been defined by impetuousness, on the golf course and in matters of business and romance. The recklessness is part of what makes him appealing.”
The book also details Stoll’s personality, with Irish pro Paul McGinley reportedly quoting in the book that Stoll is “quiet by nature” and “it can’t be easy being Rory’s wife,” as McIlroy has a “big personality.”
Did McIlroy greenlight all this? Reports say no. McIlroy initially seemed open to helping with an interview, but tensions boiled over bitterly between them at the 2025 U.S. Open, Shipnuck revealed, and for two reasons.
“You f**ked Phil … I’m not going to make the same mistake,” and “it p**ses me off that you’re making money off my name.”
It hardly goes without saying how much damage Shipnuck’s book caused to Mickelson’s character. Not to mention, the book is published during the Masters week, which means it can be more harmful than Shipnuck probably intended it to be.
This week, starting Thursday, McIlroy will try to become the first golfer since Tiger Woods to successfully defend his Masters title. Perhaps that is the reason why the fans are upset with Shipnuck.
Golf fans cannot help but question Alan Shipnuck’s character
Angry at the personal information, truth or not, laid bare to the world, a fan wrote, “Imagine waiting till the Masters to release a hit piece, absolute classless,” to which another fan replied, “as Shipnuck did to Lefty! A disgrace.” Meanwhile, another fan commented, “Shipnuck is the PGA Tour’s gossip guy.”
Alan Shipnuck’s 2022 book, Phil: The Rip-Roaring (and Unauthorized!) Biography of Golf’s Most Colorful Superstar dealt irreparable damage to Lefty’s career. It exposed Mickelson’s alleged gambling addiction, including $40 million in losses, and unearthed his infamous quote calling LIV Golf bosses “scary motherf*ckers.” Shipnuck has since defended his book, but it’s hardly done his reputation any good.
“Shipnuck watching Daily Mail and New York Post take all the heat for reporting on the Rory book he decided to drop during Masters Week,” wrote one fan and attached a picture of Tiger Woods‘s mug shot from his last month’s DUI arrest. Another chimed in with, “Oh, I get it. Tiger’s up shit creek, so let’s do a spread-bashing McIlroy.”
But the excerpts and details of the book were first published by the Daily Mail and the New York Post. And this mention is not random, as one might think. In his book, Shipnuck called Rory McIlroy’s wife, Erica Stoll, “neo-Elin,” referring to Woods’s ex-wife Elin Nordegren, for “never doing interviews and remaining unknown to the golf public.”
Lastly, a fan wrote, “Shipnuck is the worst!!!!”
That’s something that both Mickelson and McIlroy will agree with. However, Shipnuck defended his book during the launch, admitting his goal was “to provide an unvarnished answer to an old question … what’s Rory really like?” At the very least, Shipnuck can be confident that McIlroy’s relationship with his wife is thriving.
