The Internet Invitational, a brand new event organized by Barstool Sports and YouTuber Bob Does Sports, was a huge success but didn’t pass without major incidents – including one in the final.
The tournament was filmed over three days in August and made into a six-episode series which was aired on Youtube in October-November,
The incident which caused the biggest controversy occurred during the final, the One Million Dollar Golf Match between teams captained by Paige Spiranac and Brad Dalker.
Tamping grass is breaking the rules
It all unfolded at the ninth hole. Spiranac‘s teammate Malosi Togisala landed in the rough, the ball lodged in a deep patch of wild fescue. But somehow he managed to pull off an amazing shot and hit the green. “Oh what a shot! Did Paige put that on a tee for you in the woods?” exclaimed some of those watching.
But Peter Finch had watched the whole incident from close quarters. “That lie in the rough there. It was shit,” Finch confirmed. “And Paige is like, gone ahead of the ball and literally pressed down off of the long grass in front, so you could hit it out. But there was no way he would have hit that shot without that”.
Tamping down grass to create a pathway to the hole when not repairing damage is not allowed under golf rules. When confronted about it, Paige started crying and insisted that she didn’t know about that particular regulation (Rule 13.1c [2]).
Social media backlash accuses influencer of cheating
It set social media ablaze, with many commentators amazed that she wouldn’t have known the rule and accusing her of cheating (even though her team ended up losing that hole).
The accusations got so intense and nasty that Spiranac took a break from social media. But she finally broke her silence this week with a post on Instagram. Paige explained she even received death threats.
“The last week and a half is probably the worst hate I’ve ever received in the 10 years of me doing this,” she said. “I’m talking tens of thousands of death threats, people telling me to kill myself, the most vile, horrendous stuff you could ever say to an individual — that’s been in my DMs. I mean to the point where we were discussing me having to potentially get a restraining order. I mean, it’s like, serious stuff. It’s not easy, and it hasn’t been easy. And I know people were wondering why I haven’t posted or why I haven’t talked about it. I just needed to remove myself for my mental health.”
The Internet Invitational was such a big hit that a second edition os being lined up for next year with Caitlin Clark and Kai Trump both agreeing to take part.
Related stories
Get your game on! Whether you’re into NFL touchdowns, NBA buzzer-beaters, world-class soccer goals, or MLB home runs, our app has it all.
Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more – plus, stay updated on the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.
