Rory McIlroy has admitted he feels he lives 'two different lives' after failing to win the US Open on Sunday.
The 36-year-old shot a brilliant 67 in the final round but it wasn't enough to challenge JJ Spaun, who proceeded to claim the first major of his career.
When McIlroy won the Masters at Augusta back in April, wife Erica Stoll - and the couple's four-year-old daughter Poppy - cheered him on from the sidelines.
Both Erica and Poppy were absent from the PGA Championship, however, while it was a similar story at the US Open last week.
Rory McIlroy has admitted he feels he lives 'two different lives' after failing to win the US Open on Sunday
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Erica is believed to have stayed in Florida, with the family set to leave America behind in order to return to the UK.
And McIlroy has now admitted that he feels like he lives 'two different lives' due to balancing his family life and golfing commitments.
"It's always nice to get home. I feel like I live two different lives," he explained.
"I'm a dad and a husband when I'm away from here, and then I'm who I am when I'm here. It's always nice to get away and feel a bit of normality."
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Last year, McIlroy filed for divorce from wife Erica.
However, the pair ended up reconciling - with reports suggesting the golfer performed a U-turn because he struggles to be alone.
It was also claimed at the time that Erica felt lonely in the marriage, perhaps due to her husband always on tour.
McIlroy's next big aim will be winning The Open at Royal Portrush, with that competition set to commence on July 17.
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Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll are set to return to the UK now the US Open is out of the way
GETTYDiscussing his hopes of going all the way, the Briton added: "[I'm] just trying to get myself in the right frame of mind to approach that.
"I feel like playing an Open at Portrush already and sort of at least remembering what those feelings were like and those feelings that I was probably unprepared for at the time...
"I felt like I was about to burst into tears [trying to make the cut at Portrush in 2019]. Just that support and that love from your own people. So I was unprepared for that.
"I need to just get myself in the right frame of mind to feel those feelings again."
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McIlroy previously won The Open all the way back in 2014.
On that occasion things went down to the wire, with the Northern Irishman eventually able to get the better of Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia.
JJ Spaun produced a stunning birdie late on to win the US Open on Sunday
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Xander Schauffele won the tournament last year, fending off competition from Justin Rose and Billy Horschel to reign supreme.
McIlroy, Spaun and Scottie Scheffler have all won majors so far in 2025.
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