Paige Spiranac Reflects on 2025: Coping with Loss, Online Harassment, and Career Highlights

For Paige Spiranac, 2025 was a year marked by profound personal challenges and professional milestones. Beyond the controversies and online criticism that often dominate headlines, Spiranac faced grief and personal loss that profoundly shaped her year.

A Year of Personal Loss

In a candid YouTube video titled “Q&A to kick off 2026: You’ve been asking, now I’m answering ⛳️”, Spiranac opened up about losing her beloved dog, Nico, who passed away from cancer on March 5. Adopted as a rescue in 2017, Nico had been a constant companion through her transition from competitive golf to media and social influence.

“And then my dog died, Nico… That’s just to name a few. It was kind of like something amazing would happen, and then something absolutely soul-shattering, heartbreaking would happen to me. And that’s just kind of how I felt my 2025 was going,” she shared.

To honor Nico, Spiranac carried an iron engraved with his name at the Creator Classic and used a custom headcover featuring his face—a gift from her parents.

Confronting Online Harassment

The year also brought intense scrutiny following the Barstool Sports $1 million Internet Invitational. Spiranac reached the finals with partners Frankie Borrelli and Malosi Togisala, but controversy erupted after footage showed her tamping down fescue on the ninth hole, which was a rules violation. Although she claimed she did not realize it violated the rules, the video went viral.

The incident unleashed waves of online abuse, including tens of thousands of death threats directed at Spiranac, prompting her to step away from social media to protect her mental health. She noted:

“The last week and a half is probably the worst hate I’ve ever received in the 10 years of me doing this.”

The backlash highlighted disparities in how male and female athletes are treated online. While Togisala also committed a rule violation using a rangefinder, he faced minimal criticism in comparison.

Professional Highs Amid Challenges

Despite the emotional toll, Spiranac’s career achievements in 2025 were notable. She made a cameo in Happy Gilmore 2, sharing the screen with Adam Sandler and prominent golfers such as Scottie Scheffler and Nelly Korda.

Additionally, she successfully predicted Rory McIlroy’s Masters victory over Justin Rose, a prediction she had maintained for years. Her social media reaction captured the excitement:

“One of the most electric rounds of golf I’ve ever seen.”

Her professional roles expanded as well. She joined the Grass League in a front-office position and served as a live broadcaster for the event, marking a full-circle moment at a location near her alma mater, San Diego State University.

Reflecting on 2025 and Looking Ahead

Paige Spiranac framed 2025 as a year of contrasts—soul-shattering personal loss alongside professional growth and accomplishments. She expressed that reflecting on the year allowed her to recognize the lessons learned and the positive experiences alongside the challenges:

“Upon reflection, I was able to be like, ‘Oh, okay. Here were all of the good things, and here are all of the things that I learned…that I can take going into 2026.’”

As she enters 2026, Spiranac’s mindset is one of optimism and resilience, focusing on the bright side while carrying forward lessons from both personal and professional experiences.