Old photos of Rory McIlroy and Meghan Markle have gone viral on social media.
‘He Dodged a Bullet’: Resurfaced Photos of Meghan Markle and Rory McIlroy Spark Online Reactions
Meghan Markle's time before becoming a royal has been the subject of media scrutiny. With her and her husband, Prince Harry, deciding to step away from royal duties in 2020, they have continued to draw public attention.
Amid that, a reports and online discussion have emerged between pro golfer Rory McIlroy and the Duchess of Sussex.
McIlroy and Markle were associated during that time in 2014, when McIlroy held the world's top ranking, and she was working on the TV series Suits. Their friendship was reportedly strong as she allowed him to pour ice water over her head for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.
McIlroy publicly nominated Markle, and she agreed to the challenge only if the Northern Irishman traveled to New York to do it personally! The golfer agreed, and they completed the challenge together. According to reports, the two went out for drinks at the Fitzpatrick Hotel afterwards.
Old photos of Rory McIlroy and Meghan Markle from 2014 when they participated in ice bucket challenge.
However, photos of McIlroy and Markle's encounter in 2014 have now resurfaced, bringing attention to their past meeting, sparking conversation on social media.
The photos reportedly show Markle smiling and posing with Rory during their night out. One user shared the photos on X and wrote, "Rory McIlroy dodged a massive bullet when he threw Meghan to the curb. She was clearly on the hunt, but Rory didn't take the bait."
The controversial ice bucket challenge
The duo led to dating speculation at the time after the viral ice bucket challenge video. In the video, Meghan said, "I thought it seemed fitting that the person who nominated me would be the one to dump ice on me."
In the video, McIlroy perched on a stepladder atop a New York City roof and poured ice while the Suits actress expressed her surprise. Back then, McIlroy had also just ended his engagement with tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. Taking to his social media, the golfer called Meghan a “good sport.”
Royal author Tom Bower revealed that McIlroy and Markle dined together that evening at the Fitzpatrick Hotel. The following day, McIlroy recorded an opening round of 74 at The Barclays, which took place at Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey, after “feeling worse for wear after a hectic night,” Bower noted in his 2022 book Revenge: Meghan, Harry, and the War Between the Windsors.
After his disappointing performance on the course, McIlroy reportedly “drove back to New York to see Meghan,” according to Bower.
X user accuses Meghan Markle of 'trapping' Rory Mcllroy.
Meghan flirted with Rory McIlroy to "promote herself"
Many internet users have reacted to her equation with the golfer amid the dating rumors between the two. "I can only imagine what a unhinged circus Masters would turn into if MM managed to trap McIlroy', wrote an X user under the post.
In addition, according to Page Six and royal author Tom Bower, two months later, McIlroy and Meghan met over dinner in Ireland, during which Meghan “gazed intently” at the golfer. She then started seeing celebrity chef Cory Vitello, who reportedly questioned her if she was “involved” with McIlroy.
Bower mentioned, Markle rejected any romantic involvement between the two, stressing that “their time together was innocent” and calling them “just friends.”
Bower claimed she ‘flirted’ with McIlroy to ‘promote herself’, writing, “She encouraged the media to publish photographs of McIlroy and herself. As she would later admit, she ‘occasionally set up a paparazzi photo or let info slip out to the press.'”