Paige Spiranac is certainly getting the last laugh when it comes to her critics.
In a new profile for Golf Digest, the self-described “OG Insta golf girl” reflects on past challenges and triumphs along her journey to becoming one of the biggest influencers on the planet, stating in part: “My career has become a ‘F–k you’ to everyone.”
“It’s been powerful to walk into a room knowing the platform I’ve built and the influence I have, and it’s not just because of my body; it’s my brain, who I am as a person, the whole package,” said Spiranac, who boasts nearly four million followers on Instagram.
“I never wanted to be an influencer. Now I’ve become so influential they can’t ignore me.”
With her ever-growing profile and online empire, which includes her exclusive website, OnlyPaige, and her podcast, “Playing A Round,” Spiranac, 30, has one thing in mind when it comes to creating engaging content.
“[It’s] meant to be fun,” she said. “I created this alter ego where I show the most silly, exaggerated version of myself.”
While many have gotten a kick out of Spiranac’s playful bits, there are the occasional trolls who act maliciously online — behavior the golf sensation, 30, cannot wrap her head around.
“I have been at the lowest lows in my life, been self-conscious and uncomfortable, hated the skin I was in, and I never once looked at someone online and was like, You know what, I’m going to knock them down,” she said.
Despite the unwanted commentary from some, it won’t deter Spiranac’s mission of breaking down golf’s rigid barriers.
“At the end of the day, most people will never get to play Pebble Beach or Augusta National,” she said.
“We should bring golf down a couple notches, make it approachable for people who don’t have endless income to spend on a hobby.”
As Spiranac’s star continues to rise beyond social media, she simply wants “to be a breath of fresh air within this timeline of s–t.”
“I want to make people happy,” she said.
