Tiger Woods beats golf glamor girl Paige Spiranac to be crowned 2023’s most-Googled golfer – but World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler doesn’t even make the cut

Despite only playing three tournaments this year, Tiger Woods still managed to reign supreme on the fairways.

The 15-time major winner is the most popular figure in golf and his presence is still felt on social media, even with his limited appearances.

The 47-year-old's 2023 season was again hampered by injury when he was forced to withdraw from the Masters after the third round with plantar fasciitis aggravated again in April and underwent ankle surgery two weeks later.

Before that, he did it at the Genesis Open in February and only made his competitive return from surgery at the Hero World Challenge in late November before playing the parent-child team event, the PNC Championship, with son Charlie in December.

But Woods seemingly didn't need to top the rankings to continue cementing his place as a fan favorite as he emerged as the hottest golfer of 2023, according to Vegas Insider.

According to the site's data, Woods led golf's Google searches in 42 of the 50 states in the United States.

Even off the fairways, Woods is a leading figure in the game. Earlier this year, he joined the PGA Tour's policy board as player director amid the turbulent negotiations with LIV Golf.

He also has a tendency to easily set the internet on fire, most recently with rumors of a Nike split and his viral “Big Dog” meme.

But before his first round of the PNC Championship, Woods was filmed greeting his son Charlie's caddy with a firm handshake while calling him “Big Dog,” sending fans on social media into meltdown with hilarious responses about what the exchange reminded them of made me think. .

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen then used the phrase while speaking to his teammates against the Los Angeles Chargers.

Woods' triumph on Google saw him beat Paige Spiranac, golf's glamor girl and social media sensation, who has a whopping 3.9 million followers on Instagram.

She came in as the most Googled player in four states and second in 32.

Spiranac, who played Division 1 college golf at both the University of Arizona and San Diego State before struggling to make the LPGA Tour, has taken social media by storm in her tiny, tight skirts and low-cut tops, making her the title of 'world's sexiest woman'.

While she may not have managed to top Woods in the Google rankings this year, Spiranac easily rivals the 82-time PGA Tour winner and Rory McIlroy in terms of social media popularity.

The American beauty is worth around $3.7 million and rakes in an estimated $12,000 per Instagram post.

That's more per Instagram post than Woods and McIlroy, the biggest names in the men's game.

Two thousand dollars more than Woods to be exact, with the 15-time major winner having just 3.3 million Instagram followers compared to Spiranac's 3.9 million.

Meanwhile, McIlroy, who has been the PGA Tour's most outspoken supporter against LIV over the past two years, dominated third place in most states.

Surprisingly, world number 1 Scottie Scheffler is nowhere to be found in the rankings, with the Texan not even finishing third in his home state.

But people like Rickie Fowler, Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm and Collin Morikawa also popped up as popular searches.

Tom Hoge somewhat surprisingly came out on top in North Dakota, but since he grew up and still lives in Fargo, ND, he clearly has a loyal fan base in his home state.

Likewise, Keegan Bradley was the most popular search in his home state of Vermont after winning the Travelers Championship in Connecticut, and Tony Finau was the most popular in his native Utah.

Meanwhile, despite not being born in Oklahoma, Fowler topped the charts in The Sooner State as an Oklahoma State Cowboy alum.