ATLANTA — Rory McIlroy will defend his Tour Championship title this week after announcing Thursday that his wife, Erica, had given birth on Monday.
McIlroy said via social media that Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, the couple’s first child, was born in Florida. “She is the absolute love of our lives,” McIlroy wrote.
Last week at the BMW Championship, McIlroy had said the baby was due “any day” and that he was prepared to withdraw from the tournament or this week’s Tour Championship at East Lake Golf Club.
“Mother and baby are doing great,” said McIlroy, 31, a four-time major champion who won last year’s Tour Championship and FedEx Cup.
Although his media availability was canceled for Thursday, McIlroy was on site and going through COVID-19 protocols. His tee time on Friday is at 1:30 p.m. ET.
With the staggered-strokes format used for the Tour Championship, based on final position in the FedEx Cup standings, McIlroy will start the first round seven strokes back of leader Dustin Johnson. McIlroy enters 12th in the standings.