It was only yesterday that Amanda Balionis lashed out at the fans for criticizing her for doing her job. The famed CBS reporter sat on the couch opposite Kira K. Dixon for an episode of ‘Under the Umbrellas’ on the Masters YouTube channel. Speaking about the opportunity to cover the Green Jacket event, she said, “I don’t take that lightly. No one on our team takes that lightly.” The 39-year-old’s commitment to the sport is unparalleled, and her drive to deliver the best stories is what makes her famous. But that doesn’t mean she always receives positive feedback for her work.
Despite proving herself time and again, she has often been subject to a lot of criticism. Whether it has been about her relationships or her approach to journalism, fans have found a reason to question her abilities and motives frequently. Yet, she kept going strong and contributing immensely to the amazing opportunities she received. But backlash from a recent interview with Rickie Fowler finally broke her, and she didn’t hesitate to fight back against the harsh comments.
Only a few hours ago, Balionis shared a story talking about how fans have been too critical of her. She also shared a couple of examples of the comments she received on her Instagram following recent interviews with Fowler and Justin Thomas. One of them also mentioned, “CBS should have fired Amanda some time ago.” Taking it all in, the CBS expert stated, “You’re always going to be ‘too something’ for somebody. It’s a lot easier to be yourself,” suggesting that she had given up being a people pleaser. Her words resonated with those who have always supported her throughout her journey as a golf analyst, and they showed their acknowledgement of her in messages. After the overwhelming support she received, Balionis shared another story, thanking everyone.
In her latest story with DJ Khalid’s meme of “I appreciate you,” in the background, Balionis wrote, “Also did not expect so many messages after my trolling story… thanks for the reminder that this place can be full of amazing and positive people too .” Looks like the “Ted talk,” as she claimed it to be, helped the CBS journalist realize that she also had many supporters in the golf community. That’s probably all that Balionis needed after facing so much heat that she ended up lashing out on social media.
Source: Amanda Balionis Instagram Story
Having said that, Amanda Balionis has done some amazing work recently. Something that might have been overlooked by her harshest critics. While helping create headlines with the best golfers in the world, she has also been contributing to the community through her initiatives.
Amanda Balionis is making the world a better place
Amanda Balionis’ efforts to bring out the best stories from golf are evident. She has covered some amazing headlines like Scottie Scheffler‘s emotional win in the 2025 CJ Cup Byron Nelson, and Justin Thomas breaking the winless streak at RBC Heritage. But there is a lot more to her than just reporting from the course. During her time away from the fairway, the CBS on-field correspondent also indulges in social welfare.
Balionis runs a non-profit, Puppies and Golf, that connects military veterans to faithful companions. Recently, her organization collaborated with Animal Rescue New Orleans (ARNO) to host an adoption drive during the 2025 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. She also showed gratitude towards the PGA Tour for giving her the opportunity to spread the joy and help the innocent beings find a home where they can feel safe. While her interviews with some famous golfers might get controversial at times, Amanda Balionis is undoubtedly adding more energy to her role on the course and off it, and she deserves the credit for that.
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