CBS interviewer Amanda Balionis has been catching a ton of backlash in 2025.
After the PGA Championship came to a close last weekend, she found herself at the center of a hate train by critics who thought she slighted Rory McIlroy by thanking Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm for doing post-round interviews when they didn’t have to.
Balionis shared a post with the caption: “I don’t really take criticism to heart from people I don’t admire and respect.” She included a message of her own: “Monday reminder of all my fellow recovering people pleasers. Needed this one today.”
Just a few days later, Balionis was forced to defend herself again when two trolls sent her nasty messages following her interview with Rickie Fowler.
The 38-year-old was criticized for her Saturday CBS interview with Rickie Fowler at the Charles Schwab Challenge.
Amanda Balionis didn’t go down without a fight. She came out swinging, doubling down on her point about interview obligations in an Instagram Story.
“When we talk about being you instead of trying to be what you think others perceive as ‘perfect’ or ‘good enough’ …here is an example of how the latter is simply an impossible and draining task,” she said in a message on her Instagram story.
Click on ‘Follow Us’ and get notified of the most viral Golf stories via Google! Follow Us
“CBS should have fired Amanda some time ago. She is a highly unprofessional journalist. Her job is to be a journalist NOT to be a giggling, flirtatious high school girl,” the first part of one of the messages read.
Please get rid of Amanda balionis I can’t Watch her a second @CBSSports cbs is a joke pic.twitter.com/QAssMCVF81
— Katie (@Katieki16788178) May 25, 2025
“Hey, could you be a little positive in your interviews and not bring up negative stats. Example, Rickie Fowler, [ranks] 125 in something and stuck in neutral. Very negative interview,” offered an opposing viewpoint.
Amanda Balionis made it clear she won’t be able to please everyone.
“You’re always going to be ‘too something’ for somebody. It’s a lot easier to be yourself and figure out what feedback is actually worth listening to (spoiler: it’s never the trolls you don’t know) rather than trying to be what everyone else wants,” she said. “Nobody wants the same thing, and you’ll end up turning yourself into an unrecognizable pretzel. Okay, that’s all. Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk that absolutely nobody asked for.”
Amanda Balionis Is A Single Woman
In March 2022, Balionis married former University of North Carolina and Baltimore Ravens quarterback and former FIU quarterbacks coach Bryn Renner.
Amanda Balionis was briefly rumored to be in a relationship with the world’s No. 2 golfer, Rory McIlroy, sparking wild social media speculation and leaving fans wondering about the state of her marriage.
However, the whispers of a fling between McIlroy and Balionis were quickly put to rest when McIlroy and Stoll reconciled and canceled their divorce plans before the 2024 U. S. Open.
Balionis is still not wearing a ring, and it seems she is going through with a divorce.
Despite the rumors of separation, neither Balionis nor Renner has confirmed a split.
