The newspaper does not directly quote the pair or any other individual suffice to say:  “The sad break-up has been described as “very difficult” for the couple, but in particular for Wozniacki who was besotted with the 24-year-old golfer”.

In fact, The Sun reported on June 30th speculation the pair were on the verge of going their seperate ways.

McIlroy has removed the picture of he and Caroline Wozniacki taken in Sydney earlier this year from his Twitter page.

Further evidence of the break-up is that both McIlroy and Wozniacki have changed their Twitter photographs.

Only last week when www.golfbytourmiss.com reported McIlroy was playing in the Emirates Australian Open there was a picture of the two taken in Sydney earlier this year and with the Sydney Opera House in the background.

Now McIlroy has revert to a snap of himself beside his golf bag while Wozniacki now has a baby photograph of herself.

The pair first met at a World Heavyweight title fight in Hamburg, Germany in 2011.

The Sunday Independent says also it was the double Major winning McIlroy who is believed to have initiated the split.

And in another quote from another unnamed source the newspaper states:  “A source close to McIlroy told the Sunday Independent yesterday: “They’re done, it’s over.”

McIlroy was quizzed by the New York Post on Friday after his second round in the Barclays Championship to confirm the rumour but would say only:  “Uh-huh, yeah, it’s all good. Just because we changed our Twitter profile picture doesn’t mean that we’re not together. But yeah, it’s all good.”

The golden couple’s amorous postings to each other on Twitter ha legions of followers, and fans became concerned when they changed their profile pictures on the networking site to solo photos of themselves rather than “him and her” shots.

The split, if official, comes as a surprise after the couple attended a friend’s wedding in Fermanagh in July.

The same month, Dane Wozniacki, 23, revealed that she and McIlroy had a new family member — a puppy called Bruno.

The tennis star posted a picture of the dog on her Twitter page, saying: “So excited to extend our little family @mcilroyrory!! Bruno can’t wait to see you!!”

If the split is true then it continues a tumultuous year both on and off the golf course.

McIlroy has not won since last December when he birdied the closing five holes to capture the European Tour’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai, and where he invited Wozniacki to be present with him at the presentation ceremony.

Since then McIlroy has lost his World No. 1 ranking and split with his management company (the later still to be officially confirmed).