Winning your first Masters after 11 years is commendable, but winning your second the following year? “Pretty surreal.” That’s exactly how CBS’s Amanda Balionis described watching Rory McIlroy capture his second consecutive green jacket.
On Sunday, she took to Instagram to share an emotional note on what it was like to witness history from the front lines. “What a week. Pretty surreal to watch @rorymcilroy battle for 17 years for that first green jacket (and complete the career grand slam) then just 12 months later do it all over again,” she wrote.
“I’ll remember this electric moving day for a long time and the storylines we had the privilege of broadcasting from start to finish.”
Balionis has conducted some of the tournament’s most-watched player interviews, and this week was no different. On March 31, she expressed concerns about whether McIlroy could defend his title, highlighting his injury and a disrupted preparation schedule.
View this post on Instagram
“I think, listen, he said it at The Players, right? He felt rusty,” she said. “He didn’t look quite himself, and he’s not going through the same schedule that he went through last year that led to success.”
But McIlroy had different plans. Between the rounds, Amanda was also among those watching McIlroy live.
On Friday, she asked McIlroy about the conversation he had with Jack Nicklaus before the opening round. He said that Nicklaus had advised him to avoid any double bogeys. The moment quickly went viral. Balionis then turned to the camera and addressed Nicklaus directly, telling him that his advice had certainly worked. On Saturday as well, McIlroy shot a 73 and watched his lead disappear. He skipped the scheduled press conference and headed straight to the range. But before that, he stopped to speak with Balionis. He told her he still had plenty of experience to fall back on, and that Saturday was still very much in his hands. And sure enough, he won the next day.
For Balionis, moments like these are what eight years at Augusta look like, and she shared her emotions on Instagram today.
She also used the post to thank her crew. “A massive thank you to our ENTIRE crew for the tireless hours, endless passion, and for simply being the best in the business. This is a true team effort on the biggest stage, and I couldn’t be prouder to be a part of this team. Until next year, Augusta 
”
Amanda Balionis’s ascent from the Butler Cabin to the main stage
At the 2026 Masters, Amanda Balionis prominently featured across both the main CBS broadcast and the Masters on the Range coverage. Her social media carousel showcased her in various settings, including the Butler Cabin set, on the range conducting player interviews, and posing with guests such as Rafael Nadal, who attended as a spectator.
Balionis has one of the most diverse portfolios. She serves as a sideline reporter for NFL on CBS games, covers college football, and is a panelist on “We Need to Talk,” an all-women sports show on CBS Sports Network. One image from her carousel this week captured an all-women panel seated together on the Augusta set, reinforcing a consistent part of her identity during Masters week.
During this busy week, Balionis described her schedule as running from interviews in the Butler Cabin in the evening straight into the “We Need to Talk” broadcast, which typically wraps up close to midnight. Coverage resumes the following morning, marking the start of the weekend’s events.
She has covered every Masters since 2018, working her way up from early roles in PGA Tour digital content and Callaway Golf before joining CBS Sports in 2017. She has also appeared in both seasons of Netflix’s golf documentary series “Full Swing,” expanding her reach beyond traditional broadcast audiences.
In a field often dominated by men, Balionis has spoken candidly about the challenge of being recognised for her journalism rather than her appearance, consistently allowing her interviews to speak for themselves.
