Paige Spiranac cheating accusations, crying meltdown rocks golf world to its core

The Barstool Sports $1 million Internet Invitational had one if its winners tragically pass away. And now, a cheating scandal.

Paige Spiranac attends Netflix's "Happy Gilmore 2" New York Premiere at Lincoln Center. | IMAGO/SOPA Images

Paige Spiranac is usually causing a stir for her flirtatious fits, not her on-course behavior.

But to Barstool Sports founder and owner Dave Portnoy's credit, he has found a way to make casual fans care about golf in the dead season. Unfortunately for Spiranac, who boasts 6.7 million followers across Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter, it's not a great look at all.

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Paige Spiranac / Instagram

And looking great is something the 32-year-old former San Diego State Aztecs standout is used to doing.

At the Barstool Sports Internet Invitational, where Portnoy put up $1 million for the winning team consisting of YouTube and social media golf influencers with wide-ranging golf abilities, Spiranac has come under fire from golf fans everywhere.

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The controversy surrounding Spiranac and cheating

Celebrity Chefs and Friends golf tournament benefiting City Harvest is held at Alpine Country Club in Demarest on October 25, 2021. Former professional golfer Paige Spiranac. | Amy Newman-NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

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Originally played weeks ago before the passing of Cody "Beef" Franke, who was on the winning team alongside US Amateur champion Brad Dalke and Francis Ellis, Spiranac had made it to the finals with Frankie Borelli from Barstool and Malosi Togisala from "Good Good."

The inaugural Internet Invitational Champions:

Cody “Beef” Franke, Brad Dalke, and Francis Ellis pic.twitter.com/S27WBzTr2D

— The Internet Invitational (@Internetinvite) November 14, 2025

Earlier in the round, Togisala hits an incredible shot out of the deep fescue, much to the chagrin of the opposing team and the astonishment of those watching live.

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There seems to be a rules discrepancy over this lie at the @InternetInvite pic.twitter.com/Okfe2d7Sti

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) November 14, 2025

There is only one problem. It looks like Spiranac improves the lie for her teammate, which is a big no-no.

Portnoy is the first one to call her out, saying, "Did Paige put that on a tee for you?"

English pro golf YouTuber Peter Finch adds, "That lie in the rough there, it was s**t. Paige has gone ahead to the ball and literally pressed down all the long grass in front so he could hit it out. But there’s no way he could have hit that shot without that."

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Paige Spiranac/X

Spiranac is obviously annoyed when it's brought to her attention, "I thought you could do that."

Togisala then adds they lost the whole anyway.

Portnoy and Barstool completely sold out Spiranac for clicks

Paige Spiranac/Instagram

Borelli lost the match on a skulled chip, which was the first clip to go viral from the final episode.

An all-time edit. pic.twitter.com/wbh6SUOTs4

— The Internet Invitational (@Internetinvite) November 14, 2025

Spiranac, for her part, got out in front of it in an emotional, crying outburst that she originally shared on her Instagram Stories that we originally covered without knowing the context, blaming it solely on a truly awful online troll.

"There's more important things than wanting to be liked," Spiranac said after addressing the hateful message. "But I do want to be liked. And I want to fit in, and I've tried for a lot of my life to find places where I can fit in."

Paige Spiranac breaks down in tears from an awful DM. | Paige Spiranac/Instagram

Now we know why.

We don't know what was agreed to as far as tournament rules, especially given it was a team-play format. Not to mention it's Barstool, so there is always a huge entertainment factor mixed with the integrity of the game.

And we're seeing the edited version.

It feels like Portnoy could have left this controversy out of the final edit, especially given it didn't effect the outcome. Now Spiranac is under fire.

That feels a little unfair.

Paige Spiranac watches her teammates putt on the No. 6 green during the 2023 Kaulig Companies Championship Pro-Am at Firestone Country Club, Wednesday, July 12, 2023, in Akron, Ohio. | Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK

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