Rory McIlroy claimed emotional, dramatic triumph to complete career slam
Northern Irishman’s ex-fiancee Caroline Wozniacki made dig prior to victory
McIlroy abruptly broke off their engagement over three minute phone call in 2013
This is the photo taken by Caroline Wozniacki that left Rory McIlroy ‘upset’ just months before their relationship came to an abrupt end.
McIlroy’s three-year romance with tennis star Wozniacki has entered the spotlight once again after the Northern Irishman finally triumphed in the Masters to become only the sixth man to complete a Career Grand Slam – winning every major available.
McIlroy and Wozniacki, the former tennis world No1, had formed a sporting power couple between 2011 to 2014. The 35-year-old proposed to his then-partner on New Year’s Eve in Sydney, before splitting up with her just one month later.
Their split came just months after Wozniacki posted a picture of McIlroy sleeping with his mouth open and glasses on.
Sources at the time said he was ‘very upset by it’.
The tennis player captioned the photo, which she later deleted: ‘Jetlag @McIlroyRory? Lol!!’
Wozniacki had revealed their engagement after a New Year’s Eve proposal in Sydney in 2013, with the Dane writing ‘Happy New Year everyone! Rory and I started 2014 with a bang! I said YES!!!!’.
The engagement proved short-lived with McIlroy surprising the former Australian Open champion by saying he was not ready for marriage just one month later.
At the time, he put out a statement, reading: ‘There is no right way to end a relationship that has been so important to two people.
‘The problem is mine. The wedding invitations issued at the weekend made me realise that I wasn’t ready for all that marriage entails.
‘I wish Caroline all the happiness she deserves and thank her for the great times we’ve had. I will not be saying anything more about our relationship in any setting.’
Wozniacki has since admitted to being stunned at the way in which the break-up was handled.
She previously told Graham Bensinger: ‘I was shocked. I thought at least I would get a face-to-face or something, but there was nothing. It was a phone call, and I did not hear from him again. It kind of just ended.
‘It was very hard because he made it very public from the start. He put out a press release and all of that so I didn’t have a choice, it just got put in my face.’
Despite Wozniacki’s claim that the break-up was one-sided, McIlroy said in an interview that the decision was mutual.