Golf influencer Paige Spiranac has spoken out about being accused of cheating during the Barstool Sports Internet Invitational tournament, revealing she received 'thousands' of death threats as a result.
During the final match of the tournament this summer, Spiranac was filmed pressing down grass in front of her playing partner Malosi Togisala's ball. Although her team lost the $1 million prize, she was accused of improving Togisala's lie, a rules violation.
In an Instagram Story Q&A on Tuesday, Spiranac said she was 'painfully embarrassed' and had not realised it was a breach of the rules. 'I would never intentionally cheat,' she said. 'There were so many cameras on me. To blatantly cheat with that many people around would be insane.'
She described the subsequent backlash as the 'worst hate' she has faced in a decade in the sport, including 'tens of thousands of death threats, people telling me to kill myself'. She said the abuse was so severe that she considered seeking a restraining order.
Spiranac explained she had stayed silent to protect her mental health, adding: 'One thing I really struggle with is wanting to be liked and accepted.' She said she has relied on a strong support system and family to cope.
The tournament, overseen by Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy as rules official, featured 48 golf content creators. Togisala also faced allegations of using a slope option on his rangefinder, which he denied, claiming the rule was not communicated until after the first hole.
