Rickie Fowler, Amanda Balionis Interview at Charles Schwab Challenge Causes a Stir

After the PGA Championship came to a close last weekend, CBS golf reporter Amanda Balionis felt the need to respond to critics who thought she slighted Rory McIlroy by thanking Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm for doing post-round interviews when they didn’t have to.

Balionis shared a post with the caption: “I don’t really take criticism to heart from people I don’t admire and respect.” She included a message of her own: “Monday reminder of all my fellow recovering people pleasers. Needed this one today.”

Just a few days later, Balionis was forced to defend herself again when two trolls sent her nasty messages following her interview with Rickie Fowler. “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,” she said in a message on her Instagram story showing the hate messages.

“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,” the first part of one of the messages read.

“Hey, could you be a little positive in your interviews and not bring up negative stats. Example, Rickie Fowler, [ranks] 125 in something and stuck in neutral. Very negative interview,” offered an opposing viewpoint.

Clearly frustrated with the malicious messages, Balionis made it clear she won’t be able to please everyone – and doesn’t plan to.

“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,” she said. “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.”

As for Fowler, he’s trying to win on the PGA Tour for the first time since July 2023 when he took down Collin Morikawa and Adam Hadwin in a playoff at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He’ll start four shots off the lead held by Matti Schmid and Ben Griffin at the Charles Schwab Challenge.