Tearful Spiranac considers turning the Paige
At the moment, the clubs are going in the water, American says
Social media queen Paige Spiranac said she was reevaluating her golf career after finishing tied for 101st in a field of 108 players on her professional debut at the Omega Dubai Ladies Masters yesterday.
The 22-year-old American missed the cut with a score of 12 over par after adding a 79 to her opening day’s 77 yesterday.
Spiranac had encountered criticism with some suggesting she had got an invite to play in this tournament based on her half a million Instagram followers and not on her ability to play. And she felt her score did little to prove otherwise.
“At the moment, the clubs are going in the water,” she told reporters, while in floods of tears.
Break from social media
“I learned a lot this week and I grew a lot as a person. I’ll go back home and re-evaluate everything and see if golf is still in my future or not.
“I’m definitely not going to look at my phone for a while, I’ll probably take a break from social media to like I say, step away and re-evaluate everything. But I learned a lot and I’m really grateful for this experience.
“I think I’m just upset because it’s just been so much stress on me and a lot of pressure. And I was invited here and wanted to prove it was for other reasons than just my social media.”
On round two she hit three bogeys, a birdie and a double bogey on her front nine and four bogeys and a birdie on her return.
“It took a lot to come out here and go to a new country for the first time and playing in my first professional event with all these people looking at me and staring and wondering how I was going to do,” she added.
“There was a lot of pressure on me and a lot of it was self-induced. I worked really hard and wanted to play really well. This isn’t how I usually play or how I have been playing so it’s frustrating and very disappointing and hopefully I can learn from this and grow as a person.
“My parents raised me well, and they told me to fight for everything and I did. I’m proud of coming out here and getting through this. I’ll definitely carry this with me for the rest of my life.”
I think I’m just upset because it’s just been so much stress on me and a lot of pressure. And I was invited here and wanted to prove it was for other reasons than just my social media.”
Paige Spiranac
US golfer