Rory McIlroy shares 'awkward' interview with Amanda Balionis after PGA Tour win eight months on from divorce drama
Rory McIlroy shares 'awkward' interview with Amanda Balionis after PGA Tour win eight months on from divorce drama
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After winning his first ever event at Pebble Beach, Rory McIlroy spoke with CBS Sports' Amanda Balionis in a post-final round interview. McIlroy blew away the competition, finishing two strokes ahead of his friend Shane Lowry to end his weekend in northern California at 21-under par. Following his first win at the historic course, McIlroy addressed what it meant to win at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.
![[McIlroy won his first tournament of the 2025 season - the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/02/03/00/94786509-14353161-image-a-2_1738542126082.jpg)
'Some people would argue that the golf courses I have won on are are not up to a Pebble Beach or obviously an Augusta or whatever,' McIlroy joked. 'But to win at one of the cathedrals of golf is really really cool. I knew today was gonna be tough, it was gonna be exciting, there were so many guys around the lead. 'And I guess I had to... with it being Pebble Beach I had to put it to the back of my mind and just go out there and try to shoot a score, which I was able to.
![[It's the first time that the Irishman has won at the historic Pebble Beach Golf Links]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/02/03/00/94786511-14353161-image-a-3_1738542131312.jpg)
"To win at one of the cathedrals of golf is really really cool."Rory McIlroy joined @Amanda_Balionis after his win @attproam pic.twitter.com/IUwad3ea3l. Golf fans reacted to an 'awkward' interview between Rory McIlroy and CBS' Amanda Balionis. McIlroy won his first tournament of the 2025 season - the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. It's the first time that the Irishman has won at the historic Pebble Beach Golf Links.
'But yeah really cool - to have that walk up 18 to take it all in was really cool.'. Longtime golf fans were quick to point out how 'awkward' the interview between the two was considering the events of 2024. Just last year, McIlroy filed for divorce from his wife of seven years - Erica Stoll - serving her with papers at their home in Florida. Rumors suggested that McIlroy had been having some form of a relationship with Balionis while they were both out on tour.
But by June, less than a full month after Stoll was served, the filing was withdrawn and the couple have remained together. After the withdrawal of the filing, the Irishman made a rare statement about his personal life. 'There have been rumors about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumor is a fool's game,' McIlroy told The Guardian. 'Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.'.
