Paige Spiranac looks back on her professional debut at Dubai Ladies Masters in 2015, bringing back the “brutal” memories of her barely putting it together.
While appearing in “Please Keep It Quiet!” PodcastSpiranak was asked by co-host Mel Reid, a professional on the Ladies' European Tour, if he remembers performing in Dubai.
“Yeah, it was like the worst moment of my life,” Spiranak said. “I will never forget that.”
Spineak graduated from San Diego State and became a professional in August 2015, but was a rising star on social media, posting a snapshot of her steamy golf outfit.
Many believed that the invitation to the honorable Dubai Ladies Master was beyond her playing level.
Spineak told Reed and her co-host golf personality Kira Dixon that she had heard gossip from a fellow female Dubai Masters player that she “given sexual benefits to get this invitation.”
“I went viral, but this came back when people weren't always going viral. I didn't know how to handle it, and my life turned upside down. I went from 500 followers to 100,000 followers.”
“I played this invitation (Ladies' European Tournament) and I've just become a professional and never played golf abroad.
“I came out and did the press for hours and I wasn't ready. There was no training to do this, and I think there were a few really supportive and lovely girls, but the majority were cruel.
There were constant comments such as “I gave sexual benefits to get this invitation,” and I was hearing it – and they'll say [it] In my ears. It was difficult. I didn't know what I was doing, it was my first professional event, it was really difficult. I just wanted to like it and played very badly. That was horrifying. ”
Spiranak recalls being criticized “severely” for her play, explaining that she understands why she “disturbed her feathers” in an invitation from a sponsor to Dubai.
“You turn off your ass and go out every week and week…and come here, I'm just walking,” she said. “I got a new Callaway bag and had Lululemon that week. I know why I made my wings ruffled.”
Spiranac has since turned large-scale social media into a lucrative influencer career, including brand trading and modeling gigs.
With 4 million followers on Instagram and 1.6 million Tiktok followers, the blonde beauty made her sports illustration swimsuit debut in 2018.
Spiranac was brought back to the “legend” of the 60th anniversary issue of the SI swimsuit in May last year.
She appeared on the cover of Maxim's “Hot 100” issue in 2022.
