CBS reporter Amanda Balionis raised some eyebrows with a sly comment made to Bryson DeChambeau after his final round at the 2025 PGA Championship.
Balionis, 38, commended DeChambeau, 31, for agreeing to an interview with her after an underwhelming final round on Sunday, May 18 saw him fall out of contention.
“We appreciate the time,” Balionis told him. “You don’t have to take the time to do this. So we appreciate it.”
DeChambeau ultimately finished in a tie for 2nd place with a final round 70, 5 strokes behind the winner, Scottie Scheffler.
The interview came on the heels of Rory McIlroy refusing to speak with members of the media for 4 consecutive days during his time at Quail Hollow Golf & Country Club.
The timing of Balinois’ comment was quickly acknowledged by golf fans watching at home.
“Balionis with a not-so-subtle drive by on Rory at the end of that Bryson interview ????,” one viewer wrote via X.
Another wrote, “Amanda Balionis with the subtle jab at Rory McIlroy.”
Balionis and McIlroy, 36, were linked last year after rumors swirled that the pair were dating following McIlroy’s divorce filing from his wife, Erica Stoll, in May 2024. Us Weekly exclusively confirmed that Balionis and McIlroy were never romantically involved.
McIlroy received overwhelming criticism for his decision to avoid the media all weekend with reporter Kyle Porter calling McIlroy’s behavior “bizarre.”
“I don’t get real wound up about players missing media for a round or honestly even several of them,” Porter wrote via X on Sunday. “He talks a ton, more than anyone, and I don’t need his quotes to write a dumb newsletter. But to not talk at all after play started on Thursday (especially given all the requests) is out of character and — whether it’s fair or not — an abdication of responsibility as one of the greats.”
McIlroy, who was coming off winning the career grand slam at the Masters Tournament in April, finished the weekend in a tie for 47th.
The golfer has had a fraught relationship with the media lately, which also reared its head at the Masters.
McIlroy declined to speak to the media after his turbulent opening round at Augusta National, which saw him add two double bogeys on his final four holes.
Before the Masters, McIlroy defended a golfer’s right to turn down their media availability.
“Every other athlete, whether it be in the NBA, NFL, they’re obligated to speak to you guys after a game. We’re not,” McIlroy told reporters. “Whether that’s something that the PGA Tour looks to in terms of putting that into their rules and regulations, but as long as that’s not the case and we have that option to opt out whenever we want, expect guys to do that from time to time.”
