Body Language Expert Tells Us Amanda Balionis Showed Crush On Rory McIlroy Ahead Of Affair Rumors

Professional golfer Rory McIlroy called off his divorce from wife Erica Stoll, but rumors about his affair with CBS reporter Amanda Balionis haven't quite fizzled yet. 

Questions about the nature of their bond exploded the week McIlroy filed to end his marriage to Stoll in May 2024. And while Us Weekly confirmed that month that McIlroy and Balionis interacted strictly under professional terms, observers on social media honed in on their press interactions as McIlroy played his way through various golf tournaments in early June. According to TMZ, McIlroy and Balionis even hugged on June 4 during the Canadian Open several days after the salacious speculation took on a life of its own.

Balionis' 2022 CBS interview with McIlroy, after he won the RBC Canadian Open, has also roused gossip. Although their interaction was brief, it's clear at first glance that the reporter and golfer shared an easy rapport as they spoke about McIlroy's pro golf triumphs. To dive a little deeper, Nicki Swift reached out to Nicole Moore, Celebrity Love Coach & Body Language Expert, to break down the pair's body language and advise on the physical tells which imply Balionis may have had a crush on McIlroy years ago.

According to Nicole Moore, Celebrity Love Coach & Body Language Expert, Amanda Balionis' body language suggests "that she has romantic feelings or interest in Rory." Moore notes Balionis' professionalism during the exchange, but says the reporter's "subtle flirty body language" made things obvious. Moore points to McIlroy's joke about finding incentive to win. "Twenty-first PGA tour win — one more than someone else. That gave me a little bit of extra incentive today," said the golf star during the clip.

"Amanda laughs in an almost giggly manner and she scrunches her shoulders up in delight at his joke," says Moore. "Her body language here definitely indicates that she may have had a crush on Rory at this time because she's smiling in a schoolgirl manner." Moore continues, "When Rory says that the game made him happy, Amanda beams and then scrunches her lips together and just her chin outs slightly, almost to say 'aw,' her body language indicating that she is personally touched by him being happy." According to Moore, this gesture suggests that Balionis had "an emotional connection" to the golfer, "which is indicating a potentially closer connection than just interviewer and interviewee."

Nicole Moore says Rory McIlroy's body language suggested romantic feelings, but that he expressed it differently than Amanda Balionis.

Moore notes McIlroy's reserved nature during the interview. "Rory darts his eyes back and forth to the side while he's speaking to Amanda, indicating potential nerves and he barely looks her in the eye as he speaks," says Moore. "It's possible that if Rory did have romantic feelings at the time, he was attempting to hide them which could come out as nervous looking body language." Moore also points to the moment McIlroy repositioned his body away from Balionis, prompting her to mirror his actions. "It's almost as if Rory was worried about leaning in too close to Amanda and so subconsciously his body reacted by leaning back to which Amanda responded by leaning back too," she adds.

The body language expert also explains the tell suggesting that McIlroy may have felt more interested in Balionis than he wanted known: his hands. "At several points during the conversation, Rory lifted his hands to gesticulate moving his hands closer to Amanda." According to Moore, this could indicate that his hands may have been communicating interest as he imparted physical distance between them. Concluding, Moore says, "Overall, it looks like Amanda definitely had a crush or interest in Rory at this time while Rory may have been trying to play it cool and make it look like nothing was going on."