Rory Mcllroy has been linked to CBS' 19th Hole reporter Amanda Balionis on the heels of his divorce from Erica Stoll, RadarOnline.com has learned. The golfer, 35, filed to end his seven-year marriageearlier this month, and fans can't help but notice Mcllroy and Balionis' chemistry in recent interviews.
The sports journalist, 38, hasn't been seen wearing her wedding ring since February, only adding fuel to the romance fire. Balionis only married former NFL quarterbackBryn Renner in 2022 — but no wedding ring, coupled with her ditching his last name on her social media, has sparked rumors her short-lived marriage has crumbled.
Golf fans have connected McIlroy's divorce to Balionis' possible separation, noting the two seemed flirty in an interview on Mother's Day, where he failed to mention Stoll.
As RadarOnline.com reported, the PGA Tour star filed for divorce just one day later, citing the marriage was "irretrievably broken."
Balionis' interview with Mcllroy went down after he won the Wells Fargo Championship in Quail Hollow, North Carolina. Stoll was not present for his victory, and he failed to mention her while giving a shout-out to his mom on Mother's Day. The blonde reporter giggled and seemingly fangirled throughout their conversation, with fans accusing Balionis of blushing during her questioning.
When Balionis joked that McIlroy was in "Mother's Day" pink, the reporter asked him to pay tribute to his mother, Rosie; however, she didn't even mention his wife, whom she shares a three-year-old daughter with.
The golfer praised his mom, giving her credit for being 'the sort of rock and gel that holds our family together."
Balionis mentioned several things that raised suspicions during the interview, including telling Mcllroy, "It feels like the stars are aligning."
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Meanwhile, sources claimed that Stoll felt "lonely" during their marriage, adding the pair had been living separate lives over the past two years.
"A point of contention in Rory’s marriage with Erica was that Erica was lonely in their marriage,” a source tells Us. “Rory was a hard person to be married to," an insider told Us Weekly.
“She knew what she was getting into with his profession, but once they had Poppy, things really changed and she had a new perspective,” the source adds. “Erica was usually absent for most of his tournaments and was really focused on Poppy," the person explained.
McIlroy broke his silence about his split from Stoll in a statement released by his rep.
“Rory McIlroy’s communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed,” a spokeswoman for McIlroy shared. “They stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible. He will not be making any further comment.”
RadarOnline.com has since learned the exes had an ironclad prenuptial agreement.