Prominent sports influencer Paige Spiranac has broken her silence after a controversial rules incident during a high-stakes golf tournament sparked cheating allegations and unleashed a torrent of online abuse.
The Incident That Started the Controversy
The drama unfolded during the $1 million Internet Invitational, a YouTube series that concluded two weeks ago and amassed over 20 million views. The tournament reached its controversial climax when cameras captured Spiranac interfering with grass in the rough near her teammate Malosi "Big Moe" Togisala's golf ball before his shot on the ninth hole.
The footage immediately triggered cheating accusations from opponents, leading to an emotional confrontation on the course where Spiranac broke down in tears. Following the incident, the golf personality withdrew from public view entirely.
Spiranac's Emotional Response
After weeks of silence, Spiranac finally addressed the situation on her social media platforms, expressing profound embarrassment about the incident. "I haven't really talked about it because there's not much to say about the situation," she told her massive following across multiple platforms.
The influencer, who boasts 4 million Instagram followers, 3.5 million on Facebook, 1.7 million on TikTok, and over a million on X, explained her perspective. "I am painfully, painfully embarrassed that I did not know this rule," she confessed. "I would never intentionally cheat. In all my years of playing golf, I have never been accused of cheating."
Spiranac maintained that her actions stemmed from genuine confusion about golf rules rather than malicious intent. "I thought high grass was a loose impediment... There were so many cameras on me, to blatantly cheat with that many people around, that many cameras around would be insane."
The Aftermath and Mental Health Impact
The consequences of the incident extended far beyond the golf course, with Spiranac revealing she faced an overwhelming wave of online harassment. "The last week-and-a-half is probably the worst hate I've ever received in the 10 years of me doing this," she disclosed.
The abuse reached alarming levels, with Spiranac reporting "tens of thousands of death threats, people telling me to kill myself, the most vile, horrendous stuff you could ever say to an individual." The situation became so severe that she and her team discussed obtaining a restraining order.
Spiranac explained her disappearance from social media as a necessary measure to protect her mental health. "I know people are wondering why I haven't posted or why I haven't talked about it, I just needed to remove myself for my mental health," she shared.
The influencer also revealed her personal struggles with acceptance, stating: "One thing that I really struggle with is wanting to be liked and accepted, and I don't want anyone to ever dislike me, and I always try to do everything I can to have people like me."
Despite the ordeal, Spiranac expressed gratitude for her support system, acknowledging that having family around and staying distracted helped her through the difficult period. She emphasized that she has learned from the experience and understands the rules infraction, vowing "I'll never do it again."
