Amanda Balionis admits she ‘lost a lot of sleep’ the night before she was due to interview Tiger Woods for the first time.
Balionis, 39, made her feelings be known about 15-time major champion and former World No.1 Woods, 48, during an interview with Links Magazine.
The CBS Sports reporter was asked by the publication which athlete or personality has caused her to become the most nervous before an interview.
Balionis did not hesitate in her response.
“Tiger Woods, for sure,” she replied.
“When I started with PGATour.com, I think Tiger was my second ever sit-down interview.
“I’m very thankful the camera angle was from the waist up as my legs were shaking uncontrollably from nervousness.
“I lost a lot of sleep before that interview.”
Balionis also revealed the first PGA Tour pro she ever interviewed was four-time major champion Ernie Els, just before he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.
She admitted The Big Easy has “always been so good to me.”
Balionis added: “I was too new to the golf world to know that I should be nervous for that one [with Ernie].
“He just looked like a big teddy bear!”
Balionis is a CBS Sports reporter who regularly covers professional golf and has quickly become one of the industry’s most recognisable faces.
Originally from Pittsburgh, Balionis studied broadcast journalism at Hofstra University in Long Island, New York.
Since graduating, she has had a number of jobs, including working for the PGA Tour before moving to Callaway to be an in-house reporter for the golf equipment giant.
Balionis has now worked for CBS Sports for more than seven years.
On top of golf, she also covers NFL.
Is Amanda Balionis married?
Balionis lives in San Diego and has been married to former Baltimore Ravens quarterback Bryn Renner since 2022.
Although not confirmed, Balionis is reported to be going through a divorce with Renner.
She has been spotted without her wedding ring on during recent CBS coverage on the PGA Tour.
But neither Balionis or Renner have confirmed the split.
An unsubstantiated report from the Daily Mail suggested earlier this year after Rory McIlroy announced his shock divorce to Erica Stoll that he was romantically involved with Balionis.
Per court documents, McIlroy’s marriage to Erica was ‘irretrievably broken’.
Rory and Erica eventually sorted out their differences a month later and called off their divorce.
Another unsubstantiated report suggested McIlroy and Balionis’ relationship has always been professional.
Related: Amanda Balionis makes announcement as Erica Stoll strides fairways with Rory McIlroy
Outside of golf, Balionis is a trained yoga instructor and the founder of ‘Puppies and Golf,’ a charity dedicated to supporting dog shelters and rescue dogs, as well as providing families in need with grants to cover the cost of emergency medical or training bills.
As well as reporting on golf, she also plays the sport and took it up when she was nine years old.
Her parents are both keen golfers, and her grandparents met when playing the sport.
She’s also a keen swimmer and played volleyball at college.
Balionis has also featured in both seasons of the Netflix documentary Full Swing.
