Spiranac<\/a>, 32, returned on Tuesday with a series of Instagram Stories to address the backlash, saying the past fortnight had been the worst abuse she has faced in a decade online.<\/p>\n\u201cThe last week and a half is probably the worst hate I\u2019ve ever received in the 10 years of me doing this,\u201d said Spiranac.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m talking tens of thousands of death threats, people telling me to kill myself, the most vile, horrendous stuff you could ever say to an individual, that\u2019s been in my DMs to the point where we were discussing me having to potentially get a restraining order.\u00a0<\/p>\n
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\u201cI mean, it\u2019s serious stuff. It\u2019s not easy, and it hasn\u2019t been easy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Spiranac said the volume and severity of the messages forced her to step back from her accounts to protect her wellbeing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know people are wondering why I haven\u2019t posted or why I haven\u2019t talked about it, I just needed to remove myself for my mental health,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cOne thing that I really struggle with is wanting to be liked and accepted, and I don\u2019t want anyone to ever dislike me, and I always try to do everything I can to have people like me\u2026 but luckily, having a good support system, family around and just trying to stay distracted.\u201d<\/p>\n
The incident itself unfolded on camera during play, with Spiranac becoming visibly emotional after being told she had committed a rules infraction. She insisted then \u2014 and again this week \u2014 that she had no idea the action was illegal.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI am painfully, painfully embarrassed that I did not know this rule,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI would never intentionally cheat. In all my years of playing golf, I have never been accused of cheating. There were so many cameras on me, to blatantly cheat with that many people around, that many cameras around would be insane.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I made a mistake, learned now that it was a rules infraction, and I\u2019ll never do it again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Watch the controversy unfold here:\u00a0<\/p>\n
Spiranac and Togisala ultimately lost their match on the 18th hole following a separate cheating controversy involving her partner.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The six-episode tournament, filmed over the summer, began streaming in October \u2014 unleashing the delayed backlash Spiranac is now responding to.<\/p>\n
Despite the intensity of the past few days, she ended her message by thanking those who had reached out in support.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s been an interesting week and a half, but I just want to thank everyone for reaching out, asking me how I\u2019m doing, all the support, really means so much to me,\u201d concluded Spiranac.<\/p>\n
In more positive news for Paige, she released her 2026 calendar to her fans this week.<\/p>\n
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She couldn’t help but mock herself over the cheating allegations in the process:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cSorry for the tall grass in the way, I\u2019m never touching fescue ever again,\u201d Spiranac wrote on X \/ Twitter with a photo of her new calendar.\u00a0<\/p>\n
What did you make of the Internet Invitational?\u00a0<\/p>\n
What did you make of Paige’s actions?\u00a0<\/p>\n
Share your thoughts on GolfMagic Facebook.<\/p>\n
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