- Former pro golfer turned model & influencer
- 4M followers in Instagram
- One of many celebrity cameos in the new film
Paige Spiranac has become a household name, not just for her skills on the golf course but also for her modeling career and influencer status in the social media world.
Named ‘Sexiest Woman Alive’ in Maxim’s 2022 Hot 100 list and with 4 million followers on Instagram, she’s also made her mark in Hollywood, with a cameo in Happy Gilmore 2.
Read more: Happy Gilmore 2: Everything we know so far
Adam Sandler and Netflix are bringing Happy Gilmore back almost three decades since the first movie’s release in 1996. In true Sandler tradition, the film is set to feature a whole bunch of celebrity cameos.
Read more: Happy Gilmore 2 trailer reveals Bad Bunny & Ben Stiller
When Sandler posted the new teaser trailer on X, Spiranac replied saying “The fact that I’m in the Happy Gilmore 2 movie is actually insane lol check me out in the trailer!”. She can be spotted at the end of the clip, looking in disbelief as Sandler’s character Happy smashes a ball through a screen at a virtual golf simulator.
Her cameo was previously hinted at
In May 2022, Spiranac uploaded a racy photo to her Instagram which showed her wearing white lingerie and holding two jugs of beer. It was a playful recreation of Julie Bowen’s iconic ‘Happy Place’ scene from the original 1996 movie.
In the trailer, Happy says, “I guess I need to update my happy place to something a little more age-appropriate,’ before launching into a montage of the shenanigans he gets up to in the film. It remains to be seen whether Spiranac will be part of his new mental retreat.
What else is Paige Spiranac famous for?
Spiranac was a top amateur golfer who quickly transitioned to the professional golf circuit. However, her plans took a turn when she became a social media sensation. The stress of the professional circuit proved overwhelming, leading her to shift focus and pursue a career as a content creator.
She revealed to the New York Post the toll of being a professional golfer took on her, “I did one year of playing golf professionally and I was just mentally exhausted. In golf, you fail more than you succeed and I was doing that in the public eye. Everyone was telling me, ‘You should quit. You should give up. You’re not good.’ She added “I honestly cracked. I broke and I just stopped. I said ‘maybe I’ll go back,’ and I’ve never gone back to try and play golf professionally again.”
Her rise to fame started with her golf-focused YouTube channel, where she posts tutorials and tips. As she states, it’s a place where she can “talk a bit more about golf, fitness, and my life in general”.
But it was her Instagram content that got her noticed. Through posting photos of her golf game, embracing her fun personality, and wearing….bold outfits, she built a massive following.
Spiranac’s relatable content quickly led to collaborations with top brands and sponsorship deals. She is now a brand ambassador for global sportsbook operator PointsBet, where she also serves as an on-air personality and equity stakeholder.
The former golfer is also passionate about promoting body positivity and mental health awareness. She’s come under fire from online trolls in the past, accused of sexualizing women golfers – even to the extent of receiving death threats. However, the comments no longer affect her.
In an interview with Myrtle Beach Golf, she said “A negative comment can only negatively affect me if I let it. I have the power to shape my ideal life, and in that ideal life I certainly want to be able to share my favorite experiences — some of which, of course, are going to take place in a swimsuit!”.
Spiranac is also an ambassador for Cybersmile, the anti-cyberbullying organization, where she helps people from all walks of life feel inspired to chase their dreams without fear of ridicule.
