Eagle-eyed golf fans have spotted a glaring omission in a recent social media post from Rory McIlroy‘s rumored ex Amanda Balionis after his success at the Masters.
The Northern Irishman became only the sixth man to clinch the career Grand Slam on Sunday night after prevailing in a nail-biting play-off round against Justin Rose.
McIlroy, whose last major success came at the 2014 PGA Championship, celebrated the moment with his wife of eight years Erica Stoll and their four-year-old daughter Poppy.
Just 11 months ago, McIlroy had filed for divorce from Stoll, sparking speculation of a potential romance with Balionis after the pair appeared to enjoy a strong rapport during a flirtatious interview at the Wells Fargo Championship. However, McIlroy and Stoll have since reconciled and appeared to be every bit the happy couple after he won his first green jacket in Augusta.
Neither Balionis nor McIlroy have addressed their rumored romance, which was never confirmed.
Balionis, a CBS reporter, was present for every dramatic moment at Augusta and following the event, she took to Instagram to document the tournament. However, fans noticed the glaring omission of the interviews with McIlroy from the 14-image catalogue uploaded on the social media platform.
CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis marked the end of her coverage of the Masters with a post on Instagram
The 38-year-old said she is grateful to those she has learned from and worked with during the tournament
Rory McIlroy celebrated his long-awaited Masters triumph with his wife Erica Stoll and daughter Poppy
The 38-year-old’s collection included snaps from around the famous course, interview segments and catch ups with friends.
She accompanied the post with the message: ‘2025 has been all about gratitude and last week was no exception. So grateful for these experiences, the people I get to learn from and work with and for those who somehow make the best job in the world even better. Until next year Augusta!’
Following his success earlier this week, McIlroy sat down for an interview with Balionis and opened up on the support system that helped him win the 2025 Masters, mentioning his friend and caddy, Harry Diamond, and his daughter, while noticeably omitting his wife Erica.
‘I have had an incredible support system the whole way throughout my life as an only 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥, the support that I had from my parents, they saw some potential in me as a golfer, and they give me every opportunity to try to fulfill that potential,’ McIlroy told Balionis.
‘To have Poppy there and to see… you know, I want to make her proud,’ he continued. ‘I want her to be able to experience these things.
‘I said on the on the green, while I was doing the trophy presentation, I hadn’t given up for 17 years. And I think that’s a really good lesson for any young boy or girl that was watching that: Never give up on your dreams and to keep fighting for it. And if you do the work, and you put in the effort, that you can achieve anything, and hopefully, Poppy saw that today.’
The interview shared online may not be the complete segment, so McIlroy may have mentioned Erica in another portion of the discussion, which has yet to be released in full.
Regardless of the rumored tension, Balionis’ interview with McIlroy was revealing as he discussed the pressure of completing the career grand slam 11 years after winning The Open Championship for his third major.
McIlroy sat down for an interview with Balionis and opened up on the support system that helped him win the 2025 Masters
Eagle-eyed golf fans noticed the omission of McIlroy from Balionis’ 14-image catalogue on social media
The journalist was present for every dramatic moment at Augusta last week as McIlroy secured the career Grand Slam
After securing on Sunday, McIlroy wasted no time in rejoicing with his family. His wife Erica has been a visible supporter in recent months and recently appeared at TPC Sawgrass when he clinched his second Players Championship.
He went straight to Stoll, who wowed in an all-white ensemble and dramatic wide-brimmed hat, and pulled her into an embrace.
He then knelt down to hug Poppy, who looked overwhelmed by the occasion, before scooping her into his arms as the tears continued to spill over.
During an emotional Green Jacket ceremony, he said: ‘Last but not least, over to my left, my family, my team.
‘They’ve been on this journey with me the whole way through. They know the burden that I’ve carried to come here every year and try and try and try again,’ he continued after recomposing himself.
‘The one thing I would say to my daughter Poppy, never give up on your dreams. Never ever give up on your dreams. Keep coming back. Keep working hard.’
