Rory McIlroy has spoken openly about his family in the past. However, a recent interview revealed a little more about how he and his wife, Erica, think about raising their daughter, Poppy. 

Speaking on the Fried Egg Golf Podcast on March 6, the Northern Irish star shared a few stories about life at home and the environment they want Poppy to grow up in.

"She's very observant, I think we've done a really good job of cultivating that in her," McIlroy said.

"We don't really let her have screen time, and we, you know, we're very big on like no iPads in the house. My wife, more so, Erica more so than me," he said. "But I can see the benefits as she gets older."

McIlroy commented that curiosity is not by chance. He and Erica have made a clear decision to keep screens out of Poppy’s daily life.

"I think being really curious of the world around her and asking questions around that I think is like one of the things that we've been able to cultivate, which is really cool," he added.

Many parents often use phones or tablets to keep their kids busy, but the McIlroys try to avoid that with Poppy. Instead, she listens closely to conversations around her and asks questions that often surprise him.

One of those moments happened just before the 2025 Masters.

Poppy’s Curiosity Has Already Left Its Mark on McIlroy’s Career

McIlroy was heading out for a lesson with his coach, Butch Harmon, when Poppy asked where he was going.

When McIlroy told her he was going for a golf lesson, her response came right away. "But Dada, you already know how to play golf," she said.

McIlroy later called it “probably the best piece of advice” he had received in three years. He even had those words engraved on his ball marker at Augusta. He later went on to win the Masters, completing his career Grand Slam.

For McIlroy, it reflects the kind of environment he and Erica want Poppy to grow up in. Erica’s rule is about more than just turning off a screen.

How do you think Erica's no-screen rule will change Poppy as she grows up?

Drop your thoughts in the comments below.

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Written by

Sneha Abraham

Edited by

Pulkit Prabhav