Rory McIlroy named the Netflix show he watched during Masters week before going on to win the green jacket, and it was his wife Erica Stoll who convinced him to watch along
Rory McIlroy has revealed the role Erica Stoll played in his Masters win(Image: Getty Images)
Rory McIlroy has shared how his surprise TV guilty pleasure inspired by wife Erica Stoll – watching Netflix’s period drama Bridgerton – played a key part in his historic Masters win last month. Northern Ireland’s finest enjoyed a thrilling victory at Augusta National, where he edged out Justin Rose in a nail-biting play-off.
That earned him not only earned him a prestigious green jacket but also saw him join an elite group of golfers to achieve a career Grand Slam. His win netted him a cool £3.1million, bringing his career earnings closer to those of legend Tiger Woods.
After 16 failed attempts at the Masters, McIlroy had to change his pre-tournament routine to achieve success. In addition to sticking to a strict sleep regimen designed to optimise athletic performance, he prioritised making the most of his downtime.
Speaking on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, McIlroy credited TV and books for helping him unwind before the big event, but also touched on a specific TV show that his wife Stoll encouraged him to watch, and that aided in his victory.
“The week of the Masters, for me, I’m just trying to distract myself with doing anything,” said McIlroy. “I’m trying not to watch coverage of the tournament, I’m trying not to watch anything about the golf. You try to just not look at the sports news. So, like, read a book, watch a show, watch a movie.
“So, I was watching ‘Bridgerton’ with my wife, which was her decision, but I actually got into it,” McIlroy revealed, prompting a mix of laughter and applause from the audience. “It was good,” McIlroy concurred, with Fallon chiming in: “Yeah, absolutely.”
The chat then took a light-hearted turn as McIlroy recalled how he spent his Saturday morning pre-tournament – watching Zootopia with his four-year-old daughter Poppy. The audience enjoyed a laugh as he described trying to distract himself, McIlroy joining in with a chuckle.
But it was McIlroy’s Bridgerton confession that really piqued interest. The golfer admitted to binging the popular Netflix show about love-seeking siblings in Regency-era London, all thanks to his wife Stoll’s influence.
McIlroy touched on the show when speaking to Fallon (Image: Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
On the eve of the final round, he said: “I’ve got into Bridgerton – I didn’t think I would. I was very against watching it, but Erica convinced me. So we’re on a bit of a Bridgerton kick this week, yeah.”
Furthermore, before bagging his second Players Championship title in March, second-ranked golfer disclosed that the rom-com The Devil Wears Prada was part of his pre-playoff routine, reports the Mirror US.
Speaking on how he handled the delay at TPC Sawgrass, McIlroy revealed: “Once I got back to the hotel, I had some room service, watched a little bit of Devil Wears Prada and went to bed. And that was basically it.”
McIlroy’s unexpected admission certainly amused the journalists present, who were understandably taken aback to discover that the PGA Tour star opted to watch the renowned Meryl Streep film as a relaxation method before a crucial day of golf. Nonetheless, it appeared to be effective – much like watching Bridgerton was during the Masters weekend.
McIlroy’s guest spot on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon marked his fourth appearance on the programme, having first graced the show in 2014 and subsequently in 2019 and 2021.
The golfing icon vowed he wouldn’t revisit the show until he had secured a Green Jacket, but he fulfilled that promise on Thursday, leaving Fallon impressed by the five-time major champion’s new outfit.
