Amanda Balionis Over the Moon as Ex-LPGA Pro Announces Engagement to Her Girlfriend
Alison Whitaker was having a quiet afternoon on her birthday in China at a Ladies European Tour when a person from the television crew asked her if she wanted to fill in. Sure, she thought until they told her they wanted a European voice. Whitaker, with no hard feelings, encouraged them to look further, and if they still didn’t find a better candidate, she would happily join their coverage for the day. 40 minutes passed, but they found no one. Their last-minute solution? Whitaker.
By the end of the day, she even walked out with a contract for the next season. All this took place about a decade ago. Today, she is a television host we hear frequently but rarely see. Yet her personal milestone pushed her to share the news with her followers on social media. It was a post on Instagram, she wrote, “13.08.24 π” and posted pictures with her fiancee Lena Corrie. Clearly, she took her sweet time to make the announcement, but once she did, the comment section was filled with congratulatory messages. CBS Sports broadcaster Amanda Balionis was one of them.
“ππ Congratulations!!” she commented. Fellow golf broadcaster Kay Cockerill also joined in celebrating the couple’s milestone, writing: “Wonderful news!! So happy for you both. Enjoy the excitement and lead up to the big dayπ.” These warm responses highlight the supportive community within golf broadcasting circles. The post was accompanied by pictures from the couple’s romantic getaway. The post was geotagged in Thirassia, Greece, suggesting a picturesque setting for their proposal. This idyllic location created the perfect backdrop for their special moment, away from the often hectic world of professional golf broadcasting.
https://www.instagram.com/lenacorrie/p/DI7yIj6STJXzIdQoTptDB4K0NQ9tfLYFgaAguk0/
While not much is known about their relationship, Ali Whitaker first posted a picture with Corrie in April 2023. “Found her,” she captioned the image with red heart emojis. In May that year, the couple went on a trip to Rome, Italy, and Whittaker could help but share pictures of them enjoying the food, art, and architecture the city offered.
In November 2023, they also attended a wedding together, but in August 2024, Whitaker shared a cryptic post. “Zero days left. Come at me @lenacorrie,” she wrote and added the flag of Greece. Interestingly, it was posted on August 12, 2024. That’s the day before their engagement! Alison Whitaker surely left some clues.
So the outpouring of support from colleagues demonstrates the respect Whitaker has earned since transitioning from player to broadcaster.
Alison Whitaker’s journey from LPGA pro to groundbreaking broadcaster!
The Melbourne-born Whitaker has built an impressive career that spans both playing and broadcasting. Her journey began with notable amateur success, including reaching the semi-finals of the 2005 U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship. She later attended Duke University on a golf scholarship from 2006 to 2010, where she was part of Duke’s 2007 NCAA Championship team before turning professional and earning conditional status on the LPGA Tour.
Whitaker turned professional in 2010 and competed on both the LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour. But her broadcasting career began unexpectedly in 2014 during a Ladies European Tour event in China. What started as a temporary role quickly developed into a full-time career, accelerated by health challenges, including glandular fever and vertigo that affected her playing.
LPGA Hall of Fame player Judy Rankin has called Whitaker “the most versatile person in broadcasting,” noting her ability to serve as lead commentator, analyst, and on-course reporter—sometimes within the same broadcast week. She made history in 2021 as the first female to host both The Open Championship and Ryder Cup world feeds, then again in 2023 as the first female lead commentator on a men’s Major for Sky Sports during the PGA Championship. Beyond her broadcasting achievements, Whitaker has demonstrated her commitment to charitable causes, having had a significant portion of her hair cut off in 2023 to support the Kids With Cancer Foundation.
Currently, she serves as the first full-time female lead commentator on the DP World Tour, covering events such as the Volvo China Open and the Dubai Desert Classic in 2025.
As the golf world celebrates a personal milestone for one of its pioneering voices, Whitaker’s engagement represents yet another chapter in her remarkable journey, both on and off the course.
