Rory McIlroy is just a social putterfly.
The pro golfer appeared extra smiley as he sat down for an interview with sports reporter Amanda Balionis at the Canadian Open amid rumors the duo are romantically involved.
In photos obtained by TMZ, McIlroy and Balionis can be seen laughing with each other before the athlete gets up and hugs her. A source told the outlet that the images were snapped after Balionis concluded her on-camera interview.
The chummy interaction will only further fuel rumors that the pair are dating, which began after Balionis interviewed McIlroy on May 12 after he won the Wells Fargo Championship; however, a source told Us Weekly that that the media member and four-time major champion have only a “professional relationship.”
The journalist, 38, has been married to football coach Bryan Renner since 2022, though the status of their marriage remains unclear.
McIlroy, 35, confirmed last month that he filed for divorce from now-estranged wife Erica Stoll after seven years of marriage, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the cause of the split.
His rep told Page Six that McIlroy’s desire is “to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible” and pointed out that “he will not be making any further comment.”
The Irish golfer also stated in court documents that he and Stoll, 36, should have “shared parental responsibility” for their 3-year-old daughter, Poppy, and requested they create a a parenting plan.
“Rory was a hard person to be married to,” an insider claimed to Us Weekly. “[Erica] 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.”
Stoll and McIlroy married in 2016 in an ultra-luxurious wedding at the medieval Ashford Castle in Ireland.
The six-figure nuptials were kept under wraps and included several A-listers such as Stevie Wonder, Niall Horan, Ed Sheeran and Chris Martin.
Prior to marrying Stoll, McIlroy had a very public breakup with tennis champion and ex-fiancée Caroline Wozniacki.