The Rory McIlroy & Amanda Balionis Affair Rumors, Explained
For the most part, Rory McIlroy's divorce from Erica Stoll, his wife of seven years, had been largely a mystery. Their separation blindsided their friends, family, and fans — that is until rumors of the golfer's purported romance with CBS sports reporter Amanda Balionis started floating around.
For those not in the loop, McIlroy and Stoll called it quits in May 2024, with the PGA champion reportedly filing the divorce papers in Florida and taking a page out of Tiger Woods' divorce playbook by hiring his divorce lawyer. He's also reportedly looking to enforce their ironclad prenup. A source told People that their community was left "wondering what happened," because apparently, they didn't have so much as an inkling that the pair were bound for a split before the news surfaced. According to documents obtained by The New York Post, the couple's divorce filing indicated that their marriage was "irretrievably broken." Meanwhile, another insider dished that McIlroy's career was the main reason for the split. "It's a hard life being a golfer's wife," they shared with the outlet. "They're always away at tournaments and practicing; there has to be a lot of trust."
As for McIlroy, he played it cool and dodged questions about the divorce when grilled by the media — but sources say he made an exception for Balionis, with whom he was reportedly quite chummy both on and off camera.
McIlroy and Balionis were reportedly observed being 'flirty'
Because Rory McIlroy's divorce had been so sudden and seemingly came from nowhere, it didn't take long for fans to speculate as to the actual reason for the split beyond what was reported in the media. Many fingers pointed at Amanda Balionis after observing McIlroy and the CBS sports reporter getting a bit too cozy during his post-victory interview at the Wells Fargo Championship. Coincidentally, the interview took place on Mother's Day, and McIlroy suspiciously skipped a greeting to his soon-to-be ex-wife Erica Stoll, opting instead to shower his mother with well-wishes.
Fans couldn't help but notice the giggles and blushes exchanged between McIlroy and Balionis during the interview, and it didn't help that they had matching outfits — just as they did the previous week. "Not to throw gas on the fire but Rory McIlroy and Amanda Balionis have matched the past 2 weeks," a fan wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "Do you think the Rory McIlroy and Amanda Balionis rumors are true? The timelines make sense," tweeted another.
Adding more fuel to the fire, reports surfaced of McIlroy being spotted around San Diego, near where Balionis lives. He even reportedly picked up a restaurant order using her name. "My sister was at a restaurant, and he came in to pick up a "to go" and used the name 'Amanda' as the pick-up. He paid cash – only a few people noticed him, and he was out!" a source dished, per the Daily Mail. We're not going to jump to conclusions here, but make of that what you will!
Balionis has also been recently separated from her spouse
Coinciding with the news of Rory McIlroy and Erica Stoll's divorce are speculations that Amanda Balionis had also split from her spouse, former NFL star Bryn Renner. Rumors started swirling in February 2024 when eagle-eyed fans noticed Balionis ditching her wedding ring in interviews. By the next month, she had dropped Renner from her display name on social media altogether, opting for just Amanda Balionis.
The pair got engaged in 2021 and tied the knot the following year. "Hey @BrynRenner ...forever sounds kinda perfect," she gushed on X back then. Fast-forward to today, and Balionis is keeping her lips sealed about her love life, dodging questions and tweaking her Instagram settings to limit incoming comments.
As for McIlroy, he seems to be unfazed by the whirlwind of rumors surrounding his marriage and his supposed link to Balionis. True to form, it appears that he's laser-focused on playing his A-game in the tournament. At a press conference for the PGA Championship, he casually remarked, he simply remarked, "Happy to be here."