Amanda Balionis Jokes About Rory McIlroy’s Haircut: ‘What Happened There?’

CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis got to the bottom of one of the biggest mysteries from this year’s Scottish Open: Why did Rory McIlroy shave his head?

“You seem a little lighter and it might be because of the haircut,” Balionis, 39, told McIlroy, 36, after his third round at the tournament on Saturday, July 12. “Could you just take the hat off for us? What happened there, Rory?”

McIlroy debuted his new hairstyle during his pro-am round at the Scottish Open on Wednesday, July, 9. 

“You know, I’m getting a little gray, as everyone probably knows,” McIlroy said with a smile. “I stupidly thought that by going shorter, it would take the grays out. If anything, I think it makes me look more gray.”

McIlroy added, “But it’ll grow back, that’s the good thing. It’ll be perfect length for the Ryder Cup in September.”

The Irish golfer finished in a tie for second place at the Genesis Scottish Open, which was won by American Chris Gotterup. 

McIlroy’s strong showing at the tournament followed a brief, two-week hiatus, in which he “mentally” reset in the U.K. with his wife, Erica Stoll, and their 4-year-old daughter, Poppy. 

“We came back a few weeks ago and moved into our new home in Wentworth [England] and have been trying to settle in,” McIlroy told reporters before the Scottish Open. “It’s amazing what two weeks of a bit of detachment can do for you.”

He added, “Sitting there being with your own thoughts for a while. It’s been nice to have this time to reflect and also to rekindle my excitement and enthusiasm for the rest of the year.”

McIlroy will return to the course for the 153rd Open Championship, which begins on Thursday, July 17, at Royal Portrush Golf Club in his native northern Ireland. 

“When I was looking at the calendar for 2025, this was the tournament that was circled, even more so than the Masters,” McIlroy said on Monday, July 14, according to ESPN’s Paolo Uggetti. 

McIlroy won the Masters tournament for the first time in April, becoming just the sixth golfer in history to win the career grand slam. 

“I’ve done something that I’ve told everyone that I wanted to do, but then it’s like I still feel like I have a lot more to give,” McIlroy added. “I still feel like there’s a lot left in there. The story certainly isn’t over.”