Following the conclusion of the PGA Tour’s RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club, TMZ captured a hugging photo of Rory McIlroy with a CBS reporter.
Some golf fans told Rory McIlroy he was “caught” after TMZ released a photo of the player holding Amanda Balionis after the RBC Canadian Open.
As part of his regular media responsibilities, McIlroy met with Balionis for a brief interview to talk about his performance at Hamilton Golf & Country Club after finishing in a tie for fourth at the PGA Tour event.
However, some fans were more curious to see if they could decipher body language cues that would indicate whether or not the couple is romantically involved.
Given that they socialize in the same circles and are both divorcing their partners, some people assume they are an item.
Days before the second men’s major of the year and hours after winning the Wells Fargo Championship, McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll, with whom he had been married for seven years.
In addition, Balionis has stopped wearing her wedding band on TV shows, presumably due to her separation from former NFL quarterback Bryn Renner.
Both have made the decision to keep their personal lives private from the public eye.
During the PGA Championship, a reporter made an attempt to do so, which seemed to annoy the Northern Irishman. “I’m glad to be here,” he stated nonchalantly.
Not long after McIlroy’s television interview, TMZ was able to get a picture of him with Balionis. Despite not having a PDA, the two hugged.
Take a look at the picture here:
Can somebody just confirm it at this point? pic.twitter.com/2i05QGFNPL
— DrunkByTheTurn (@DBTTofficial) June 4, 2024
A user on X commented, “They make a cute couple.”
Another person said, “Now we know the real reason he didn’t go to LIV, he couldn’t leave his bae behind.”
“Rory appeared ecstatic.”
After watching the McIlroy interview with Balionis, body language expert Darren Stanton concluded that the two are “bursting to tell the world about their secret, romantic relationship.”
He declared, “Rory is a pretty serious guy.” “He rarely laughs in front of us.
Here, he and Amanda appear almost ecstatic. He has a really intriguing way of expressing his smugness, without coming across as conceited.
It almost seems as though they have a secret and we are unaware of it.
There is a great deal of mirroring and matching. We also have deep gazing, which is defined as prolonged eye contact that lasts much longer than five or six seconds and is typically saved for romantic partners.
“This kind of extended eye contact indicates a high degree of rapport and connection between the two people.
“Amanda appears extremely happy, but she’s careful not to reveal too much through her body language.”
He went on, “Her conversation with Rory suggests that they both have a secret that they’re attempting to hide.
But the way they’re acting here, it seems like they can’t wait to tell everyone about it.
“I’ve evaluated Rory previously, and he’s not typically this gregarious or lighthearted, especially during interviews. There are several signs that point to the possibility that the two are already involved romantically.
We’re observing how they align and reflect one another, as well as how they hold themselves and display genuine happiness and excitement at acting a little mischievous.
“Amanda definitely exudes mischievousness in her expressions.”
