Paige Spiranac, former golf pro turned social media star, has labeled PGA player Nate Lashley a sexist after he “belittled” her, saying people only watch her videos because of her good looks.
Spiranac had berated golf stars including Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka for sitting too long between shots at the recent Augusta Masters tournament, saying, “I’ve seen paint dry faster than that round had finished.”
That prompted Lashley to hold her accountable for not having the golfing experience to comment with authority on the matter.
“I don’t like slow play at all, but these courses are very difficult and the stakes are high,” he tweeted.
Spiranac made no apology for using her sex appeal to her advantage, pointing out that her stance on wasting time on the course is no different from many golf experts.
PGA star Nate Lashley got it from fans about his treatment of Spiranac, with someone telling him “there’s nothing wrong with Paige being attractive and correct at the same time”.
“If @PaigeSpiranac played professionally at a higher level, she would understand, but I don’t think most people watch these videos to see what she has to say.”
Spiranac didn’t let that slip and fired back in a tweet on Friday.
“I said Nate’s tweet was sexist on my podcast which is now causing a stir on Twitter lol,” she wrote.
‘Yes, I use my sex appeal to my advantage, but that doesn’t invalidate my opinion.
“I share a similar stance on slow play as many top pros and many golf media outlets, but he just decided to berate me and belittle my achievements in the process.
“It’s not about showing my cleavage and getting angry when it calls me out. I am honest about my brand. It’s not my fault that people like breasts and golf. Both are great.’
Fans quickly agreed with Spiranac and criticized Lashley on the matter.
The Instagram star’s tweet was viewed more than 400,000 times within hours of posting
It’s far from the first time Spiranac has had to defend herself against attacks based on her appearance
“Nate, you’re way off base twice. First, it is rude to play golf too slowly and cheat the rear by slowing down their pace. Second, there’s nothing wrong with Paige being attractive and correct at the same time,” someone tweeted.
“It doesn’t matter how much is at stake. A 5 hour round of golf should never happen. And those who let it happen are bad for the game (current and future). The sexist comment at the end is just icing on the cake of a terrible opinion,” another commented.
“I never understand why guys hate. Every man in the world wants a hot woman who can golf and keep up… but if they can’t date them, they hate them,” a third commented.
‘I have no breasts. I know a lot of pros with and without breasts. They all agree that the pace of play is a huge problem. I hope Nate appreciates my point of view,” another wrote.
It’s far from the first time Spiranac — who took the sport by storm when she amassed 3.7 million Instagram followers and was named the world’s sexiest woman by Maxim magazine — defended herself against attacks based on her looks.
Last month, she lashed out at the “crude” comments she gets when she’s pictured with male athletes or celebrities.
“One thing people don’t talk about as a woman in a male-dominated industry, whether it’s golf or the sports industry, is that every time I’m satisfied with another man there are rumors and comments, and it’s all disgusting sexual stuff. ,” Spiranac said in a Q&A on Instagram.
Named the world’s sexiest woman by Maxim magazine last year, Spiranac has over 3.7 million followers on Instagram
She regularly has to deal with online trolls who shame her, criticize her appearance or say she shouldn’t be taken seriously because of her looks.
Last June, the 30-year-old gave a brilliant comeback to a troll who wrote: ‘No one in the golf world cares about Paige Spiranac’s views! A breast augmentation does not make you a wise sage!’
She wrote back, “They’re real and they’re spectacular” – quoting a famous line about breasts in the hit TV comedy Seinfeld.
And then another commenter wrote ‘@PaigeSpiranac has a horse’s head. Honestly. Dude has a long face,” she responded by posting a photo from her Maxim shoot with a photoshopped horse head instead of her own and the caption “Seabiscuit Spiranac,” referring to the famous American racehorse.
She was deeply embarrassed in September 2022 when she posted photos of herself on the runway in a pink one-piece outfit and responded with some classy words.
“I know my body is a big part of my brand and that comes with the territory, but it’s hard to maintain my ideal weight year after year,” she wrote.
“I have to work very hard in the gym and with nutrition. It doesn’t come naturally to me. It can be overwhelming when people call my body insecurities.”