Amanda Balionis‘ journey to the golfing personality she is today wasn’t straightforward. Rather, it was a turn of events that fell into place as she navigated her reporting career. Sharing the story of her advent into the PGA Tour, Balionis took fans along for a ride. From that fortunate call to her reporting career across golf and football, Balionis leaves out no detail.

On the Well Played podcast, Balionis shared how she started out reporting high school games for Verizon Fios Channel 1 and MSG Network while in New York. She also sidelined for Princeton football, but during her time at MSG Varsity, she was overworked and underpaid.

“I was really poor, living in New York City in 300 square feet with another human, working seven days a week because it was freelance,” Balionis shared on the podcast.

Then came the call from her family friend that changed everything. The person informed Balionis of an opening at the PGA Tour for an in-house reporter. Seeing it as an opportunity to escape the brutal New York City winter, Balionis quickly made up her mind. Moreover, that also ensured timely payments on her car loan, so Balionis didn’t spare another thought.

“Then I got a call from a family friend who said, ‘I know the PGA Tour is hiring an in-house reporter.’ I was like, “Cool. I’m going to use this as a free vacation in Jacksonville, Florida,” because it was the dead of winter in New York City. My car was under… yeah. I was like, “This is the only way I can afford it,” the golf reporter added.

Balionis applied for the job and got accepted, marking her official entry into the world of golf in 2011. In her tenure with the PGA Tour, Balionis produced and reported on tournament highlights. Mostly contributing to the tour’s website, Balionis quickly gained valuable exposure to the sport. Her work here laid the foundation for her future in sports journalism, especially her captivating coverage of the Masters.

However, her role in the tour had put Balionis into a pigeonhole. Known as the ‘golf girl’, Balionis struggled to land other jobs outside of golf. For someone who had always dreamed of sidelining the NFL games, this setback was both frustrating and limiting. Speaking up about her experience of being boxed, Balionis remarked, “I couldn’t get hired anywhere else. I was like, ‘But wait, I’m the football girl.’ They were like, ‘No, you’re the golf girl. You don’t know anything.'”

However, Balionis’s role at the CBS kept her dreams alive. After working five years with the PGA Tour, Amanda Balionis transitioned to Callaway Golf, where she served as an in-house reporter. A year later, the golf reporter was hired at CBS Sports. However, initially, she was a part-time hire reporting on golf. But her phenomenal work and charismatic presence in front of the mic soon landed her a full-time position at the company in 2018, where she expanded her reach into college football and the NFL games.

The moment served as a full circle moment, from reporting for Princeton football to covering the NFL games. Quipping on a fun incident, Balionis revealed, “One of my fellow announcers was actually a Princeton football player from that very first sideline job—I think he had maybe just graduated a few years before. So, a lot of full circle moments, but I’m happy to be here.”

The golf reporter’s incredible journey from sharing a dorm room to being one of the most revered reporters in golf and the NFL, Balionis has proven that perseverance and passion can take you far. And her passion for sports has been evident ever since her childhood.

Amanda Balionis has always been a sports enthusiast

The golf reporter grew up in a golf-centric environment. Her maternal grandparents met on a golf course, and that passion carried forth in her family, too. Both her parents were avid golfers, with her father hitting the golf course 5-7 times a week. Her mother’s connection to the sport was profound, too.

Naturally, her family introduced her to golf early on, with Balionis beginning to play at around the age of 9. However, back then, young Balionis hadn’t really liked the sport. She preferred team sports, playing volleyball in high school and college.

The golf reporter first began playing golf for fun at college, and her love for the sport has grown ever since. Looking back, her mother, Dana, noted, “She’s never loved golf more than she does now.” Without doubt, she still carries that enthusiasm with her at the golf courses.

Moreover, Balionis’ love for football began early, too. Growing up in Pittsburgh, she was a huge Steelers fan, which fueled her interest in the sport. This passion persisted into her professional life, culminating in her role as an NFL sideline reporter for CBS Sports.

Amanda Balionis’ lifelong love for sports, combined with her dedication and perseverance, has shaped her into a versatile and respected reporter, known for her insightful and heartfelt interviews.