Who is Amanda Balionis, the journalist linked to Rory McIlroy’s divorce announcement?

News of Rory McIlroy filing for divorce from wife Erica Stoll following his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship last month took most of the world by surprise. On the eve of the 2024 US Open at Pinehurt No. 2, the Northern Irishman has done it again by revealing the pair have reconciled, suggesting reports of a possible romance with CBS Sports journalist Amanda Balionis were wide of the mark.

McIlory reveals reason for divorce U-turn

Court records show a “notice of voluntary dismissal” was filed in Florida on Tuesday, with McIlroy briefly explaining why the case had been closed to British newspaper The Guardian later that day.

“There have been rumours about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumour is a fool’s game. Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realised that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”

Why were McIlroy and Balionis romantically linked?

The links between the 35-year-old and Balionis apparently stemmed from events at the Wells Fargo Championship and the following week’s PGA Championship.

The pair had been involved in what was described by some as an unusually warm post-tournament interview at Quail Hollow Club, while many TV viewers noticed Balionis, not for the first time, was not wearing her wedding ring during the broadcast at Valhalla a few days later. That left fans wondering if she was still married to football coach Bryn Renner, with reports later surfacing the pair had separated.

That particular “controversy” was overshadowed significantly by Scottie Scheffler being arrested early on Friday morning during the PGA Championship, although it didn’t stop plenty of onlookers from putting two and two together with news of McIlroy’s divorce from Stoll still fresh.

Who is Amanda Balionis?

Balionis is well-known for her work in CBS broadcasting, covering golf, college football, and the NFL. She has a strong passion for golf, which she inherited from her parents.

She was a junior golfer during her childhood but later decided to pursue another sport. She played volleyball for Kutztown University of Pennsylvania for two years before transferring to Hofstra University, where she graduated in August 2008 with a major in broadcast journalism.

She began her career covering high school sports for Verizon Fios Channel 1 and MSG Networks. In 2011, Balionis joined the PGA Tour as an in-house reporter and host. The 38-year-old interviews golfers, sometimes at the driving range and occasionally on the greens.

Eagle-eyed fans clocked the journalist wasn’t wearing her wedding ring on her Instagram posts while interviewing various golfers, and that she had changed her X username back to just Amanda Balionis, with her married name no longer appearing.

While it seems she and Renner are no longer together, rumors of a possible romance with McIlroy look to be just that, with the Northern Irishman confirming his reconciliation with Stoll ahead of the third major of the year.