Rory McIlroy's New Amanda Balionis Interview Isn't Helping Affair Rumors (Sorry, Erica)

While even casual sports fans have likely heard about the successful Northern Irish golfer, they might not be keeping up with the scandalous rumors about Rory McIlroy that have circulated over the years — and a new interview just added fuel to the fire. 

In 2024, McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, only to call off the divorce around a month later. In the short time that the couple was separated, rumors of an affair with golf reporter Amanda Balionis quickly started going around after she and McIlroy were seen together looking happy and like they were enjoying themselves during an interview. Of course, neither addressed the rumors. And not long after that, McIlroy was back together with Stoll. But even with McIlroy and Stoll's marriage still going well around two years after the rumors first started, the gossip just won't seem to go away. And McIlroy's latest interview with Balionis at the 2026 Masters isn't helping matters.

Rory McIlroy says this isn't the position he wanted to be in when the day began, but he knows he's still in position to do something special.

He talks about his round and mindset heading into tomorrow in a tie for the lead with @Amanda_Balionis. pic.twitter.com/UzKsSjuV5i

— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) April 12, 2026

The two talked about McIlroy's golf performance for "Golf on CBS," and some fans couldn't help but highlight how "awkward" the situation felt, as the rumors of a possible relationship between the two just won't disappear.

In their April 11 interview, Rory McIlroy talked to Amanda Balionis about his recent golf performance at the Masters and how he plans to improve going forward. A video showed the two smiling and chatting, seeming quite at ease together. Many people couldn't help but comment on the situation in response to the clip.

One fan called the interview a "conflict of interest," saying, "Amanda loves herself some Rory." Another wrote, "Oh it's so awkward lol." Only a day before, McIlroy was spotted talking with Balionis for a different golf interview, and this time around, he had her giggling as he joked with her. According to the Daily Mail, Balionis erupted into laughter after McIlroy revealed what golf legend Jack Nicklaus told him before he started playing that day. Fans couldn't get over this moment, with one comment in reaction to a since-deleted clip of it on X saying, "Aww they're so cute together." Others called it "true love" and asked, "Is this a chemistry experiment?"

Throughout all of this, McIlroy and his wife, Erica Stoll, seem to still be doing well as a married couple. They also share one daughter together. After they called off their divorce, from the outside, it has looked like smooth sailing. But nothing will ever stop the fans from talking, and McIlroy's happy new interview with Balionis certainly didn't help.