Golf
Rory McIlroy picture with Amanda Balionis sparks frenzy among golf fans
Rory McIlroy was told by some golf fans he was ‘caught’ after TMZ snapped the golfer cuddling Amanda Balionis following the conclusion of the RBC Canadian Open.
McIlroy finished in a tie for fourth at the PGA Tour event and as a standard part of his media duties met with Balionis for a short interview to discuss his performance at Hamilton Golf & Country Club.
But some fans were more interested in seeing if they could pick up clues from their body language that would confirm whether the pair are romantically involved.
Some folks think they are an item seeing as they mix in the same circles and both are separating from their significant others.
Hours after McIlroy clinched the Wells Fargo Championship and days before the second men’s major of the year he filed for divorce from his wife Erica Stoll after seven years of marriage.
Balionis has also not been wearing her wedding ring during TV broadcasts after apparently splitting from the former NFL quarterback Bryn Renner.
Both have chosen not to talk publicly about what is going on in their private lives.
Though one reporter tried to do so during the PGA Championship which appeared to irk the Northern Irishman. “I’m happy to be here,” he said matter-of-factly.
TMZ managed to take a snap of McIlroy and Balionis shortly after his TV interview. There was no PDA but the duo hugged.
Take a look at the picture here:
“They make a cute couple,” one X user wrote.
“Now we know the real reason he didn’t go to LIV, he couldn’t leave his bae behind,” another added.
“Rory looked giddy”
Body language expert Darren Stanton watched the McIlroy interview with Balionis and believes they’re ‘bursting to tell the world about their secret, romantic relationship’.
“Rory is quite a serious guy,” he said. “We don’t tend to see him laugh often.
“He and Amanda almost seem giddy here. He’s got a really interesting expression of smugness but not in terms of being arrogant.
“It’s almost like we know something you don’t know, like they have a secret.
“There’s lots of matching and mirroring. We’ve also got prolonged eye contact which is far beyond the five or six second mark, it’s what we call deep gazing and this is usually reserved for romantic partners.
“Prolonged eye contact such as this suggests there is a strong level of connection and rapport between the two individuals.
“Amanda has this over joyous expression, yet she’s keen not to give too much away in terms of her body language.”
He continued: “Her interaction with Rory implies the two have a ‘secret’ they’re both trying to keep it in.
“The excitement between them here, however, suggests they’re bursting to tell the world about it.
“I’ve assessed Rory before and he’s not usually this smiley or jokey, especially in interviews. There’s quite a few indicators that would suggest the two could be in the midst of a romantic relationship.
“We’re looking at matching and mirroring, their postures, the facial expressions, the genuine emotions of joy, excitement at being a bit mischievous.
“Certainly with Amanda, she’s got mischievousness in her expressions.”
Stanton was talking to Best Online Poker Sites.
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