All it took was a few minutes of conversation to turn what has been a respectable eight-year career with CBS Sports into dust. When Amanda Balionis walked up to Rickie Fowler post his third round at the Charles Schwab Challenge, no one expected it would end that way. At the time, Fowler—who hasn’t won on the PGA Tour since the 2023 Rocket Mortgage Classic—had just come off with a 67 that featured four birdies and one bogey. Yet, many alleged how the broadcaster was being overtly negative by bringing up the golfer’s unfavorable stats and talked about him contending for a title following a duration of being stuck in “neutral”. 

Soon after, social media turned into a battlefield. As wild as it sounds, some complained that Balionis didn’t “giggle” enough during the interview. Others went a notch higher and even asked for her firing from the broadcasting booth. At one point, the trolling and criticism got so intense that CBS was forced to decide not to share clips from the interview on social media. But Balionis has been a figure of resilience through it all.

She displayed her strength by refusing to back down to her trolls and vowing to remain herself—”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.” While she also received a lot of supportive messages post-backlash, Balionis took to Instagram to issue yet another strong and inspirational message a few hours ago.

“Enough courage to get started + enough sense to focus on something you’re naturally suited for + enough persistence to stay in the game long enough to catch a few lucky breaks + a lot of hard work. There’s your recipe,” Balionis reposted these words on her story with “This is it” caption. These words by James Clear, author of the famous book Atomic Habits seems to have become Amanda’s mantra. Notably, this was not the start to her series of posts on coping with criticism in the journalism community.

In another update, she had hit back, “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. 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.”

“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.” Thankfully, she has also received a lot of positivity online. In response to the support she received, the 38-year-old posted, “I appreciate you,” and “I also did not expect so many amazing messages after my trolling story… Thanks for the reminder that this place can be full of amazing and positive people,” showcasing her positive outlook.

Having said that, the journalist joined the CBS network in 2017 and has been an integral part of the broadcasts, given her ability to connect with several players during interviews. Known for her insightful reporting and her unparalleled commitment to work, her incident with Rickie Fowler came just a few days after she praised LIV Golf players Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm for “taking the time to talk after a gutting loss” to engage with the media after the 2025 PGA Championship.

While only she would know the clear implications of this statement, many criticized her for trying to take a dig at Rory McIlroy, who refused to address the media after a poor performance at Quail Hollow. She defended herself following the criticism by sharing a post that said, “I don’t really take criticism to heart from people I don’t admire and respect,” also adding a message of her own: “Monday reminder to all my fellow recovering people pleasers. Needed this one today.”

And this was not the first time she was criticized for her interviews with McIlroy—”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…” implying at the ‘flirtatious’ exchange between her and McIlroy during the 2024 Wells Fargo Championship.

While the incidents with Balionis highlight the challenges journalists face, she demonstrated an approach to handling the backlash positively.

How did Balionis navigate criticism?

Balionis’s decision to address the criticism head-on demonstrates the evolving role of journalists in managing their public personas and the expectations placed upon them. If some journalists were put in place like hers, they might not have handled the criticism well or even responded to it. But her approach to handling dissent while also maintaining her authenticity garnered the support she received from her followers.

Rather than engaging in direct confrontation, she emphasized the importance of authenticity and self-acceptance and also that she would not do things anymore just to please others. She made use of her social media platforms to connect with her audience and address the criticism, making her a role model for public figures who have to navigate the complexities of digital engagement. Her response to criticisms with humor and grace showcased her personality, sending a loud message to others to be resilient and dignified in their responses to criticism.