Golf influencer and content creator Paige Spiranac got serious in a recent interview, addressing harmful rumors that surfaced during her debut professional golf tournament in 2015.
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During the March 19 episode of the Quiet Please! podcast with Mel Reid and Kira Dixon, Spiranac shared her experience playing in the 2015 Dubai Ladies Masters. She also addressed the troubling rumors that followed, alleging she had performed “sexual favors” to secure her invitation to the tournament.
At the time, Spiranac was also a social media influencer, which reportedly brought criticism from other female golfers. In the conversation with Reid, an active LPGA golfer, and Dixon, a well-known golf personality, she admitted she wasn’t ready for the intense media attention that came her way.
“I ended up going viral, and this was back when people weren’t going viral all the time, and I didn’t know how to handle it, and my whole life got flipped upside down. I went from having 500 followers to 100,000 followers,” the 32-year-old explained on the podcast.
She continued: “I show up and was doing hours of press, which I wasn’t prepared for. I had no training to do this. And I would say there were a couple of girls who were really supportive and who were nice, but the majority [of them], it was brutal. I would go on the range, and girls would just scatter. No one wanted to hit next to me,” the Gimme Props! host added.
“There were constant comments like ‘I did sexual favors to get this invite,’ and I was listening to it — and they would say [it] within earshot of me. It was tough,” she recalled.
Paige Spiranac Blames Botching the Tournament on the Rumors and Pressure
In the interview, she explained that the pressure likely contributed to her subpar performance during the game.
“It was my first pro event, it was really difficult. I just wanted to be liked, and I played so bad. It was horrendous,” she said.
However, Spiranac acknowledged that her brand partnerships and influencer status may have “ruffled feathers” within the golf community, expressing her understanding of the reaction.
“You work your a** off, week in and week out, and here comes me and I just walk on in,” the content creator explained.
Meanwhile, the golf guru has taken the initiative when it comes to bullying. Spiranac has taken on the role of ambassador for The Cybersmile Foundation, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of cyberbullying.