Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy revealed Thursday he has become a father, announcing the birth of a baby daughter to himself and wife Erica on Monday.

It was only last Saturday at the BMW Championship when world number four McIlroy revealed that his wife was pregnant.

"Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born August 31st, 12:15pm," McIlroy posted on social media. "She is the absolute love of our lives. Mother and baby are doing great. Massive thank you to all the staff at Jupiter Medical Center and Dr Sasha Melendy for their amazing care."

Defending PGA playoff FedEx Cup champion McIlroy remains set for an afternoon tee time in Friday's opening round of the season-ending Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta.

Based upon his season points finish, McIlroy will begin at 3-under par while pace-setter Dustin Johnson opens at 10-under par.

McIlroy, 31, has not produced a top-10 result since the US PGA Tour returned from a three-month coronavirus pandemic shutdown in June.

"I think from the get-go my mind has been wandering the last few weeks," McIlroy said Saturday. "And now you guys sort of know the reason why."

McIlroy's caddie walked the course at the BMW Championship with a beeper, McIlroy ready to leave at a moment's notice.

Instead, he was able to finish the event, sharing 12th, and be back home in South Florida on Monday when his child was born.

But he was prepared to miss the Tour Championship if that had been required to be at his daughter's birth.

"I'm going to play in many more Tour Championships and it's only going to be the birth of your first child once," McIlroy said Saturday. "That trumps anything else."