Rory McIlroy and Amanda Balionis caught cuddling after Canadian Open interview

Rory McIlroy and Amanda Balionis were reportedly spotted sharing a warm embrace following their recent interview, adding fuel to the swirling dating rumors surrounding the four-time major winner and the CBS Sports reporter.

McIlroy, currently undergoing a divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, delivered an impressive 13 under at the Canadian Open last weekend. Ahead of a tied-fourth finish, he was once again seen in the company of Balionis, prompting speculation about their relationship.

Balionis, who has also been the subject of romance rumors with McIlroy, was recently seen without her wedding ring and has been using her maiden name, despite being married to ex-NFL star Bryn Renner. The two are frequently seen together at events, further fueling the gossip.

Although both McIlroy and Balionis maintain that their relationship is strictly professional, fans were surprised to see her interviewing him once more at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club. TMZ reported that the pair shared a hug after the interview, adding to the intrigue.

During the interview, Balionis kicked off the conversation by asking, “Joining us now is Rory McIlroy, tied for the low round of the day. We’re watching right now, do you think what you just did could be enough?”

Before Scot Robert MacIntyre ultimately clinched victory with a score of -16, McIlroy responded, “Ah, I don’t think so. I wish it was. Had a couple of good opportunities on the way in. A good chance at 14 that just missed, and also on 15 too.

“I mean, selfishly it would be nice if it was enough, but Bob is a good friend of mine, Ryder Cup team-mate, and it would be really good to see him get the job done.”

Balionis continued her questioning, asking McIlroy to reflect on his week: “You had an interesting week. I know on Thursday, you said you played the back nine blind, and then on Friday you felt out of whack, then you found something in your swing. Talk about the progression with this week and where you find yourself. It must give yourself a ton of confidence moving forward?”

McIlroy responded, “Yeah, didn’t do a lot of practice last week. Only saw nine holes in practice. Swing was a bit out of sorts, worked on the range Friday night and found something. Played a great weekend, 11-under.

Played both rounds with Tom Kim, which was a lot of fun, love being out there with him. We had a great weekend, probably won’t be enough, but something to build on going into Memorial and the US Open.”

Highlighting his pairing with Kim, Balionis asked further, “Is there something to you two being really comfortable with one another? He seems like a little brother to everybody.” McIlroy humorously retorted, “He definitely makes me feel old!”

The pair’s frequent professional interactions have also included working together on McIlroy’s endorsement deal with software giant Workday. Despite the ongoing rumors and public interest, neither McIlroy nor Balionis have publicly addressed the nature of their relationship.