Rory McIlroy has returned to golf action at the Canadian Open - teeing off on Thursday morning amid a backdrop of divorce controversy.

The Northern Irishman got his first round underway in Hamilton, Ontario at 7:40am ET, just hours after it emerged that he hired a police officer to give wife Erica Stoll their divorce papers.

McIlroy received a warm reception from the crowd at the course, and he appeared in good spirits as he smiled at the fans - before sending his opening shot down the middle of the fairway.

McIlroy, 35, will likely be very glad to be returning to competition, after his off-field marital woes have dominated the last few weeks. 

The PGA Tour star filed to divorce Stoll, 36, following seven years of marriage just 24 hours after winning the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Mail Sport revealed on Wednesday that he did not hand her the papers directly, instead hiring Carl Woods - a Palm Beach police officer, who also runs a process serving business, CW Services & Associates, according to court documents. 

Woods turned up unannounced at the McIlroys' lavish $22million marital mansion in Jupiter, Florida at 10.30am ET on May 13 and handed Stoll a copy of McIlroy's divorce petition. 

The four-time major winner signed the divorce papers digitally on May 9 while competing at the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow, which he went on to win beating Xander Schauffele by five shots, according to court records. 

Stoll, who shares a three-year-old daughter Poppy with the professional golfer, has 20 days to file a written response to the petition with the circuit court clerk from the day she was served, according to the documents.

In Canada this week, McIlroy is among the favorites to win the tournament, which he has twice been champion of before, in 2019 and 2022. 

His 2019 victory was the last time the competition was held at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club too, where he shot 22-under-par and scooped the $1.37m top prize. 

If McIlroy does seal a third Canadian Open victory come Sunday, he will take home another $1.69m - a huge amount that will help with any incoming divorce proceedings he may face.

So far in 2024, McIlroy has earned $6.96m from golf tournaments he's played in.

Since filing from divorce, rumors have begun circling about McIlroy's relationship with CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis as they both ditched their wedding rings.

Another source close to the tour, meanwhile, claims that McIlroy has been 'super focused on golf' as he attempts to end his decade-long wait for another major.

'Plus, he put his blood, sweat and tears into defending the PGA against LIV golf the last two years and it was basically for nothing,' they told People.

'He’s just trying to find himself, focus and get back to winning,' the source says.

McIlroy and Balionis are set to reunite in Canada this week, with the CBS presenter set to be on air on Saturday and Sunday.