Rory McIlroy has filed for divorce, while his wife Erica Stoll has removed her wedding ring and stopped using her married name. But what went wrong in their seven-year marriage? McIlroy and Stoll till sometime back were a happy couple, till a new woman came into their marriage. And the woman is quite a popular face, according to reports.
McIlroy's relationship with CBS's 19th Hole reporter Amanda Balionis is the talk of the links, leaving many fans wondering just how close the pair have become lately, according to a Daily Mail report. McIlroy, 35, filed for divorce on May 13, fresh off his latest victory at the Wells Fargo Championship.
Another Woman in Marriage
Last week, blonde Balionis was tasked with interviewing the 35-year-old champion after he won the Wells Fargo Championship in Quail Hollow, North Carolina on Mother's Day. It was a performance that only fueled speculation further, the Daily Mail reported.
Dressed in a blush top that matched McIlroy's own, Balionis giggled, flirted, and fangirled her way through the interview, the outlet reported.
"What gear did you have to find to assert your dominance once more over Quail Hollow?" the 34-year-old asked, looking through her lashes as McIlroy beamed back at her.
They stood close as she teased out details of his string of wins.
Later, she asked him to tell her, "Physically how good your game feels," and fans could be forgiven for wondering just what "game" the blushing reporter was referencing.
Barely 24 hours later, news broke that McIlroy had filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, 36.
But standing in the Charlotte sunshine on May 11, McIlroy appeared happy to bask in this clear adoration.
Balionis pointed out that McIlroy was wearing his 'Mother's Day' pink, but while she asked him to pay tribute to his mother, Rosie, she did not extend the same invitation for him to wax lyrical about Stoll, the mother of his three-year-old daughter, Poppy.
So it was Rosie, not Stoll, whom McIlroy credited as "the sort of rock and gel that holds our family together."
Summing up his mood, McIlroy told Balionis, "It feels like the stars are aligning." Certainly, their chemistry and ease in each other's presence are clear when it comes to his relationship with the longtime CBS golf reporter.
Too Many Hints
When set alongside the golfer's impending divorce and questions over the state of Balionis's own marriage, fans have been quick to connect what some say are obvious dots.
Friends close to McIlroy's estranged wife have said that Stoll felt "lonely" in their marriage and that the couple had effectively been living separate lives for the past two years while McIlroy played on the PGA tour.
According to the source, " 'She knew what she was getting into with his profession, but once they had Poppy, things really changed, and she had a new perspective. Erica was usually absent for most of his tournaments and was really focused on Poppy."
While Stoll stayed home to look after their daughter, Balionis was often out on the courses, ever present to cheer for McIlroy and company in action and in person.
Speaking to US Weekly, an insider said, "A point of contention in Rory's marriage with Erica was that Erica was lonely in their marriage."
As the source added, McIlroy is "a hard person to be married to."
But judging from her broad smiles, he is not, for Balionis at least, a hard person to be around. For his part, McIlroy seems happy to lend his name and support to causes dear to Balionis's heart.
In recent months, fans have questioned what's going on with Balionis's two-year marriage to college football coach-turned tech company account manager, Bryn Renner, 34.
The sports journalist and former University of North Carolina quarterback got engaged in 2021 and married in 2022. But in recent appearances, Balionis has not been wearing her wedding band – the sparkler disappeared from view on social media in February. This has fueled discussions both on and off the tour.
And while neither party has filed for divorce, as rumored online, the reporter has switched her social media username from her married moniker of Balionis Renner back to her maiden name of Balionis.
Balionis gained fame through her CBS broadcasting career, focusing on golf, college football, and the NFL. Her deep love for golf comes from her parents, and she played the sport as a junior. She briefly pursued volleyball at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania before transferring to Hofstra University, where she graduated with a broadcast journalism degree in August 2008.
