Rory McIlroy was photographed hugging CBS journalist Amanda Balionis on Sunday, just minutes after finishing a television interview amid rumors of a romance between the pair.
The couple has been in the headlines in recent weeks after McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll, while Balionis ditched her wedding ring and dropped her married name.
McIlroy shot a final-round 64 and ultimately came up short in the RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, despite his encouraging return to form.
Minutes later, the Northern Irishman stood in front of the cameras to reflect on his performance in a face-to-face interview with Balionis on CBS Sports.
This led many fans to wonder how close the couple have become. Neither McIlroy nor Balionis have commented publicly on the rumours, but reports last week insisted that the couple “are not dating and are only in a personal relationship”.
Rory McIlroy was photographed hugging CBS journalist Amanda Balionis after their television interview.
The CBS reporter spoke with McIlroy after the Canadian open and then they hugged
Balionis and McIlroy were all smiles as they talked while the cameras weren’t rolling.
But footage shows them hugging after the interview, during which they shared several laughs while talking about their performance.
“I don’t think so,” McIlroy told Balionis when asked if his 13-under score would be enough to win. ‘I wish it were. I had a couple of good opportunities along the way… selfishly, it would be nice if that were enough.
“But Bob is a good friend of mine, a Ryder Cup teammate and it would be really good to see him do the job.”
He added: “We had a great weekend. It’s probably not enough, but it’s definitely a really good weekend to build on.”
McIlroy and Balionis then shared a joke about her relationship with Tom Kim. ‘Is there anything you two are really comfortable with each other? He looks like a little brother to everyone.
McIlroy laughed before replying: “It definitely makes me feel old!”
Rory McIlroy was interviewed by CBS journalist Amanda Balionis after the Canadian Open.
McIlroy’s divorce from his wife Erica Stoll sparked rumors of a romance between the couple.
Balionis and Bryn Renner began dating in 2019 and got engaged in 2021. They married a year later.
This was the Northern Irishman’s first PGA Tour start since the PGA Championship at Valhalla, where he finished in a tie for 12th.
The second major of the year followed his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina, last month. McIlroy, 35, filed for divorce from Stoll, 36, just 24 hours after that victory.
They had been married for seven years and it was later revealed that McIlroy did not inform his ex-wife that he intended to divorce her in person.
Instead, the four-time major winner hired a police officer to serve divorce papers on Stoll at his family home.
Stoll, originally from upstate New York, received the legal documents from Carl Woods, a Palm Beach police officer who also leads a lawsuit serving CW Services & Associates, according to court documents.
Woods showed up unannounced at the McIlroys’ lavish $22 million marital mansion in Jupiter, Florida, at 10:30 a.m. ET on May 13, and handed Stoll a copy of the McIlroy divorce petition.
Meanwhile, Balionis married Bryn Renner in 2022. Renner is a 34-year-old former NFL quarterback and former quarterbacks coach at Florida International University, with the Panthers competing in Conference USA. FBS level.
The couple reportedly reunited in 2019 and spent more than four years together before Balionis appeared publicly without her wedding ring for the first time.