Rory McIlroy: Amanda Balionis shares one of her ‘favourite stories of the week’ ft. Rory McIlroy

Amanda Balionis shares one of her ‘favourite stories of the week’ ft. Rory McIlroy

Modified Apr 09, 2025 01:33 GMT

PGA: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am - Final Round - Source: Imagn — In Picture: Amanda Balionis and Rory McIlroy (Source: Imagn)

CBS reporter Amanda Balionis recently shared a heartwarming story involving Rory McIlroy. As she's deeply invested in covering the upcoming Masters this week, she's been posting uplifting moments on her Instagram stories leading up to the tournament. A tournament as significant as the Masters often brings forth touching stories, and on Tuesday, Balionis shared one such instance.

McIlroy had missed the cut at the 2017 US Open. Despite the disappointing finish, he spared a few minutes to speak with the then teenage golfer, Noah Kent. The talk had inspired the 13-year-old to quit hockey and give golf his full commitment.

Eight years down the line, Kent will make his Masters debut this year as the runner-up of the US Amatuer. To add to the beautiful story, he played a practice round with McIlroy earlier this week at the Augusta National.

Amanda Balionis shared a reel about the story and wrote about the adorable history behind it in her story.

"One of my favorite stories this week. After he missed the cut of the 2017 US Open, Rory McIlroy took 5 minutes to talk with the then 13-years-old Noah Kent. That talk made Kent quit every other sport and commit fully to golf. Today, they played a practice round together at the Masters and Noah is well on his way to become a professional,"

McIlroy will be bidding for his first ever green jacket this week at the Augusta National. He has not won a single Major Championship in more than a decade and will be looking to end the drought.

His best finish at the Masters came in 2022, when he finished T2, behind Scottie Scheffler.

What is Rory McIlroy's power ranking ahead of the 2025 Masters?

In Picture: Rory McIlroy at the 2025 Masters Tournament - Practice Round (Source: Imagn)

Rory McIlroy has already won two PGA Tour titles so far in the 2025 season -- the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and the Players Championship. As such, he appears to be in peak form to win the Masters for the first time in his career.

However, he is currently placed second in the power rankings ahead of the iconic tournament this week. Reigning champion Scottie Scheffler has taken the top spot.

Here's taking a look at the 2025 Masters power rankings:

#1 Scottie Scheffler
#2 Rory McIlroy
#3 Collin Morikawa
#4 Jon Rahm
#5 Bryson DeChambeau
#6 Justin Thomas
#7 Russell Henley
#8 Shane Lowry
#9 Brooks Koepka
#10 Patrick Reed
#11 Xander Schauffele
#12 Joaquin Niemann
#13 Robert MacInytre
#14 Tommy Fleetwood
#15 Cameron Smith

About the author

Ira Deokule is a dedicated sports journalist at Sportskeeda, specializing in Golf and other sports such as swimming, bodybuilding, gymnastics, and track and field. With a post-graduate degree in Media and Communication Studies from DMCS, SPPU, Pune, and a specialization in Video Production, she combines her academic background with practical experience as a national-level track and field athlete.

Ira's journalistic journey includes freelancing for FirstSportz during the Tokyo Olympics, where her articles gained significant recognition. She prioritizes accuracy and ethics, relying on verified sources and personal expertise to provide insightful, engaging content. Her unique perspective as an athlete enriches her understanding of sports dynamics, allowing her to write with neutrality and respect for her subjects.

Outside of journalism, Ira enjoys writing creative pieces, reading, dancing, and exploring filmmaking. She draws inspiration from trailblazing female golfers like Nelly Korda and Lydia Ko, whose achievements have elevated the visibility of women's golf. Ira aspires to cover iconic events like The Masters and is interested in the evolving landscape of golf, including the impact of LIV Golf.

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Edited by Pratham K Sharma