Amanda Balionis shares cheeky Instagram post following Rory McIlroy's US Open heartbreak

Amanda Balionis shares look at ‘success’ as Rory McIlroy returns to wife after US Open pain

Golf commentator Amanda Balionis took to Instagram to share her 'success' as Rory McIlroy headed back to his plush $17 million Florida pad with wife Erica Stoll after his US Open upset.

The CBS Sport host was living it up with mates during a break from the golfing grind at Pinehurst No. 2, Balionis shared snaps of herself in a bikini and enjoying the sunshine with her friends in the Hamptons. It comes after she and the golf star were rumored to be starting up a romance, before his dramatic divorce U-turn.

Fans claimed the chemistry between the two was clear after a series of "flirty" interviews.

With a series of photos, Balionis captioned her post: "(mon)Tauk about off-week success". Her update came just as McIlroy, who had been linked romantically to the broadcaster, missed out on clinching his first major in ten years.

McIlroy was leading by two strokes as he entered the last leg of Sunday's showdown at Pinehurst No. 2. However, the 35-year-old ended up bogeying three of the final four holes, allowing Bryson DeChambeau to snatch the championship at the very end.

A gutted McIlroy watched DeChambeau take the championship on the last hole and promptly jetted off to his Florida residence with his wife Erica. The pair had filed for divorce the previous month but then decided to work on their marriage, with McIlroy halting the divorce proceedings.

While he and his wife were on a break, McIlroy was rumoured to have gotten close to Balionis. The presenter, seen without her wedding ring, reportedly gave McIlroy a warm hug after the Canadian Open earlier this month.

Rory McIlroy's potential romantic escapades have been put on hold as he's decided to work on his marriage. The golfer had a starkly different weekend from his peers, and the impact was evident when he revealed he's taking a break from golf.

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On social media, McIlroy shared: "Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I've had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer. Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Bryson. He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that."

He continued: "As I reflect on my week, I'll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly, the 2 missed putts on 16 and 18 on the final day. But, as I always try to do, I'll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives."

McIlroy added: "As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have. The one word that I would describe my career as is resilient. I've shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again."

Concluding, he stated: "I'm going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defense of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon. See you in Scotland."

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