CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis appeared to take a sly dig at Rory McIlroy during her interview with Bryson DeChambeau following the final round of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
McIlroy, 36, decided to snub media interview requests all four tournament days of the 2025 PGA Championship.
That’s the first time he has ever done that during his major career.
McIlroy stormed out of Quail Hollow after carding another lacklustre round of 1-over 72.
The World No.2 finished the week a slugglish 3-over par in a tie for 47th.
While the official reason for shunning the media from Thursday to Sunday remains unknown, a number of critics, analysts and golf fans assume his driver controversy on the eve of the US PGA had something to do with it.
But if that is to be the case, McIlroy can’t dodge the subject forever…
Rory McIlroy
McIlroy’s ‘gamer’ TaylorMade Qi10 Driver was deemed to be ‘non-conforming’ during the USGA’s latest CT test on Tuesday afternoon.
He had to instead use a replacement driver ahead of the tournament – and it showed, with some indifferent stats during the week.
Questions now surround whether McIlroy had indeed used this ‘gamer’ driver during his historic Masters victory last month.
Anyway aside from that huge talking point that emerged after the first round, McIlroy chose to shun the media all four tournament days.
Related:
And it would appear CBS’ Balionis did not want to pass up the opportunity to throw some lighthearted shade at McIlroy in the process.
Balionis did so during her interview with DeChambeau, who finished runner-up and six shots behind PGA champion Scottie Scheffler.
Despite understandably being frustrated at falling short at the PGA Championship for a second year running, DeChambeau still took time to speak with the media and hang around to sign autographs for all of his adoring fans.
Unlike McIlroy.
Before the end of her interview, Balionis said to DeChambeau: “Thank you for taking the time — I know you don’t have to take the time, but we appreciate it…”
DeChambeau also stayed behind to congratulate both Scheffler and wife Meredith on a third career major title.
CBS reporter Amanda Balionis
While no doubt all in jest, golf social media certainly played along with it.
“Anyone else notice Amanda throw shade at Rory then?! Loved it. Guess the Amanda/Rory romance is over,” commented one golf fan.
“I had the exact same thought. No chance that wasn’t a subtle dig,” tweeted another.
“I definitely caught that too,” wrote one fan.
We’ll let you head over to X / Twitter now to see what everyone else is saying about Balionis’ choice of words during her interview.
There’s plenty of comments on this thread:
Amanda with the subtle dig at Rory:
“We appreciate the time. You don’t have to take the time so we really appreciate it.” pic.twitter.com/W2ppCRTIBt
— Brock 💣 (@Golfingbrock) May 18, 2025
Rory McIlroy
According to an unsubstantiated article last year, McIlroy and Balionis share a ‘personal relationship’.
There had been wild rumours that Rory and Amanda were romantically linked while they both going through divorces last year.
But McIlroy quickly shut down those rumours when confirming his own divorce with wife Erica Stoll was off the table.