Rory McIlroy pictured without wife Erica Stoll on return to Belfast after Masters glory.

Rory McIlroy made history last weekend by winning his first Masters title and was welcomed back to Northern Ireland on Friday morning with his young daughter Poppy.

Rory McIlroy has made a triumphant return to Northern Ireland following his fairytale Masters triumph last weekend. He was seen carrying his daughter, Poppy, down the stairs of his private jet before being whisked away on Friday morning.

The 35-year-old endured an emotional rollercoaster of a final day at Augusta last Sunday as he went in search of a maiden Masters title. And after missing the chance to win on the 18th hole, McIlroy showed tremendous character to rebound and beat Justin Rose in a play-off to win the career Grand Slam.

Rory McIlroy’s emotional victory at the Masters ended a painful 11-year wait and made history, as he became only the sixth golfer ever to win all four modern major championships. He now joins the elite company of Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods.

On Friday, he returned to Belfast City Airport, located close to his hometown of Holywood. He was seen disembarking from his private jet with his daughter, but his wife, Erica Stoll, was noticeably absent.

Earlier in the week, McIlroy sparked discussion after omitting Erica while talking about his tight-knit support group that helped him reach this long-awaited milestone. Speaking to CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis, he named several people, including his caddie Harry Diamond, but did not mention his wife.

“I’ve had incredible support throughout my life,” he said. “As an only child, my parents recognized some potential in me and gave me every opportunity to pursue it.” He continued, “Having Harry on the bag means a lot. I have a small but close village of people who matter deeply to me. And having Poppy there—seeing her experience this—is something I’ll always treasure. I want to make her proud.”

Since his win, McIlroy has received praise from across the sporting world and beyond. Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill called for a massive celebration in his honor, saying the nation is “bursting with pride.”

“We were all behind him every step of the way,” she said. “His story is an inspiring one—it shows that with hard work and determination, you can overcome any setback. I can’t wait to welcome Rory home with the reception he deserves.”