Balionis, 38, primarily interviews players post-round, including McIlroy after his victory at the Wells Fargo Championship earlier this month. They have also collaborated on McIlroy's endorsement deal with software giant Workday, appearing together in social media promotional content.
Balionis, who also covers the NFL for CBS, married ex-quarterback Bryn Renner in 2022. However, she has recently stopped wearing her wedding ring and reverted to her maiden name. The couple have not yet addressed speculation about their separation.
Despite the rumors, Us Weekly reports that Balionis and McIlroy are not dating and maintain only a "professional relationship". Neither party has commented on the speculation.
In his divorce filing in Palm Beach, Rory McIlroy has called for a co-parenting arrangement with Erica Stoll for their three year old daughter, Poppy. The documents also confirmed that the couple had signed a prenuptial agreement before their 2017 wedding.
A statement from McIlroy's communications team confirmed the submission of the divorce papers and emphasised that "Rory's desire is to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible". They also stated that he will not be commenting publicly on the situation.
Last week, Us Weekly reported that Stoll felt "lonely in their marriage", with McIlroy's global tour commitments taking a toll. An insider close to the couple said: "Rory was a hard person to be married to. [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."
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After taking a week off following the PGA Championship at Valhalla earlier this month, McIlroy returned to action at the Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club on Thursday. The two-time winner in Canada made a strong start with a bogey-free round of four-under-par.
The Ulsterman is currently tied for sixth place, four shots behind the early leader, Englishman David Skinns, aged 42.
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