RORY MCILROY didn’t name wife Erica Stoll as a member of his “close-knit support system” when interviewed by CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis following his Masters success.

McIlroy sat down with Balionis after ending his 11-year wait to complete his career Grand Slam by finally winning The Masters on his 17th attempt on Sunday.

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McIlroy and Balionis made headlines last year when the Daily Mail claimed that the pair could be in a blossoming relationship just days after the PGA superstar had filed for divorce from wife Erica.

The rumours were fuelled further by eagle-eyed fans spotting that Balionis, who married a football coach in 2022, hadn’t been wearing her wedding ring for two months – ultimately divorcing husband Bryn Renner.

The speculative claims were rubbished when a close source to McIlroy and Balionis denied there was anything between them to US Weekly, and neither party commented on the conspiracy theories.

While it was all put to bed when McIlroy soon announced a U-turn on his divorce from wife of eight years Erica, revealing that the pair managed to work through their differences and get their relationship back on track.

But almost a year on from that date and McIlroy seemingly neglected to mention wife Erica when sitting down for an interview with Balionis after slipping into his Green Jacket on Sunday.

When the CBS golf reporter asked McIlroy about how his support system helped him finally achieve his Grand Slam, the 29-time PGA Tour event winner discussed best friend and Caddy Harry Diamond, his parents and his daughter Poppy.

He said: “I have had an incredible support system the whole way throughout my life as an only child, the support that I had from my parents, they saw some potential in me as a golfer.

“And they gave me every opportunity to try to fulfill that potential.”

Adding: “To have Harry on the bag. I have a, as you call it, a village. But it’s a close-knit village and it’s pretty small, but everyone that’s in there means an incredible deal to me.

“I think as well, to have Poppy there and to see… you know, I want to make her proud, I want her to be able to experience these things.”

Notably there was no mention for wife Erica, who he shared an emotional embrace with as soon as he stepped off the 18th green as a Masters champion.

However, it’s not clear if the interview shown online is the chat in its entirety, meaning McIlroy could have mentioned Erica in another section of the discussion.

While he had already paid tribute to her support immediately after winning the tournament by sinking his 5ft birdie putt in a playoff against Justin Rose.