CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis, known for her dual expertise in golf and the NFL, returned to golf coverage in January 2025 after a six-month break. As the PGA Tour season concluded and the NFL prepared to begin, she announced plans to switch back to football. For now, she’s making a brief return to golf, set to cover the Tito’s Shorties Classic on November 29, 2025.

The news was broken with a video shared on Scratch’s Instagram handle, with a caption that read, “The @titosvodka Shorties Classic is back this November! Hosted by @balionis. Stay tuned in the upcoming weeks for player announcements, ticket sales, and some other surprises! #ad”

CBS Sports reporter Amanda Balionis revealed the schedule and venue for the upcoming Tito’s Shorties Classic, saying, “We are talking about the Tito’s Shorties Classic coming up in November. Mark your calendars, November 29th. One of my many favorite events of the year. First of all, it is in Austin, Texas. One of the greatest cities in the country. Second, it’s at Buttler Pitch & Putt. It’s one of the oldest courses in Austin.”

The Tito’s Shorties Classic is an annual pitch-and-putt charity golf event sponsored by Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Focused on short game skills, it’s played in a lively Skins game format and streamed on the Golf Channel, featuring nine holes of fast, entertaining golf.

Past participants include Keith Mitchell, Harry Higgs, Joel Dahmen, and Beau Hossler. Mitchell once said, “I would say that the Butler Pitch & Putt in Austin is honestly the most fun version of golf I can think of because it really, it’s constant action, it’s quick. It only takes you about an hour to play nine holes. Your level of golf is less important.”

This year, Amanda’s own foundation, Puppies & Golf, will also receive donations from the event’s prize money. “Of course, it’s supporting some great charities, like Tito’s always does, including my foundation, Puppies & Golf. It’s simply become an awesome tradition,” she shared.

In 2024, Tito’s donated $350,000 in total. Joel Dahmen and Joey Cold Cuts won $200,000 for the Dahmen Family Foundation. Harry Higgs and Fat Perez placed second, earning $100,000 for the Fore the Kids Foundation. Keith Mitchell and Robbie Berger secured $50,000 for the Nantz National Alzheimer Center.

Amanda covered the 2024 event on the Golf Channel alongside the Bob Does Sports crew, adding professional insights and charm to the broadcast.

Now balancing both golf and NFL reporting, Amanda’s success follows years of perseverance and hard work to reach where she is today.

Amanda Balionis’s career and health struggles

Early in her career, Amanda was facing a difficult personal relationship and adjustment to a new city. All of these took a toll on her mental health, as she clearly could not handle them simultaneously. She founded yoga as her aid to cope with the challenges.

Yoga helped Amanda regain confidence and positivity, which helped propel her career. She even earned a 200-hour yoga teacher certification. Recently, she shared an Instagram post saying she is “full of gratitude” to share the practice that has changed her life forever with others.

While she has become mentally strong now, the hectic work schedule still puts a strain on her overall well-being. Early in September 2025, the veteran sideline reporter shared a health update saying that she is battling a pinched nerve arising from her C4/C5 vertebrae. Then, in late September, she revealed her diagnosis in an Instagram post that looked picture-perfect.

The Instagram post made it seem like Amanda is living her best life. But the caption shared a different angle — “We had a month! 3 weeks ✈️ 8 cities 🌆 7 hotels 🛌 3 NFL games 🏈 2 golf tournaments ⛳️ 1 herniated disc 😵‍💫.. ….it is officially time to shut it down. Feeling grateful, fulfilled, and ready to prioritize some true self-care over the next couple of weeks ❤️.”

It may look glamorous seeing her on camera and on her Instagram account. However, these posts reveal the reality and the hard work that goes into achieving her dream job.

Despite all the hard work required, Amanda Balionis continues to juggle between golf and NFL coverage because she likes that. It’s a reminder that if a person is dedicated and focused on it, they can land their dream jobs, too, and would enjoy doing their work.