Amanda Balionis makes feelings clear on Ernie Els and how he treated her
Amanda Balionis has grown into one of the most recognizable faces in golf media, but the CBS reporter was once left shaking with nerves before an interview with a golf legend
Amanda Balionis makes feelings clear on Ernie Els and his treatment of her (Image: (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty Images))
At the start of her career, Balionis faced a challenge when she was tasked with interviewing Els for her first professional golf interview. The ex-World No. 1, soon to be honored with a World Golf Hall of Fame induction, was incredibly relaxed and friendly during their chat and in later encounters.
PGA Tour chief Jay Monahan has been advised that he must implement significant schedule changes following a New York ruling.
“He’s always been so good to me, and I was too new to the golf world to know that I should be nervous for that one,” Balionis reflected on her time with Els in a Q&A with Links Magazine. “He just looks like a big teddy bear!”
Following her successful interaction with Els, Balionis was then asked to interview Tiger Woods. Speaking to Links, she admitted feeling extremely anxious while sitting down with the golfing great.
Golf reporter Amanda Balionis has revealed how nervous she was during her first big interview with Tiger Woods. “When I started with PGATour.com, I think Tiger was my second-ever sit-down interview,” she said.
“I’m very thankful the camera angle was from the waist up; my legs were shaking uncontrollably from nervousness. I lost a lot of sleep before that interview.”
Since then, Balionis has had the chance to interview many famous golfers. She talked about some of her favorite moments, like when Dustin Johnson won the Masters in 2020 and got emotional, and when Phil Mickelson won the PGA Championship in 2021 and the crowd cheered him on.