Paige Spiranac recently admitted to dealing with anxiety. But now a bigger problem has left her in shock, and rightfully so. A thread of fabricated stories has been attached to her name, including one involving Tiger Woods’s 17-year-old son, Charlie Woods.

Spiranac lashed out, pointing to a news headline, and stated, “Now this one is just straight crazy town, and should be illegal to write this, because they’re claiming that Tiger Woods is disappointed that his son Charlie Woods, who I might add is not 18 years old, is in a relationship with me, and the confirmation is this AI picture of us together.”

The news headline featured an AI-generated image of Spiranac and Charlie and falsely claimed they were romantically involved. The disturbing story clearly left Spiranac unsettled. Charlie just turned 17 earlier this month and has committed to Florida State University.

Nevertheless, the false rumor spread immediately. Despite having no factual basis and being driven largely by AI-generated visuals and false claims, it gained a lot of traction.

Paige Spiranac said, “There were over 300 comments on this, and I got so many messages about it. This should be illegal. You should not be able to write and post things like this. Absolutely insane.”

However, that was not all. Several other headlines left her extremely displeased. Statements she never said were wrongly circulated as her words. The most frustrating ones, she explains, twist innocent comments (like wearing athletic shorts under skirts) into sexualized narratives.

One even mentioned that she had a hidden affair with Tiger Woods, which was, of course, not true. At the same time, another mentioned that Spiranac had rejected a $30 million offer from Elon Musk. But the golf influencer has never even met the Tesla CEO.

The golf influencer expressed concern over how easily manipulated content can be accepted as real by many. She highlighted the act as ‘illegal,’ as the situation crossed a line from gossip into something truly harmful.

The golf diva has been falsely linked to Bryson DeChambeau as well. However, she vehemently denied the rumors and blasted people on social media for spreading dreadful rumors.

Now, amid her break from social media realm, Spiranac has also shared how she has often battled mental health issues. And while reflecting on the same, she opened up about a deeply personal struggle.

Paige Spiranac opens up about mental health battle behind golf career

Just days back, Paige Spiranac reflected on how she is making sure to take care of her mental well-being. However, she also shared how, behind her glamorous presence on social media, she has a different battle to fight.

On February 10, Paige shared an Instagram update where she shared, “I’ve seen so many sports psychologists, and the mental side of golf just truly ate me alive, and l’ve tried everything. So I recommend just finding what works best for you. There are books out there, there are so many different philosophies, there’s not one size that fits [sic!] all.”

She opened up about her struggles in a Q&A session on Instagram, where a fan asked her about how she works on the mental side of the game. Previously, too, the 32-year-old gold influencer has been open about her mental health struggles. She shared how she has resorted to talk therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy.

The recent string of fake news clearly highlights the dark underbelly of a glamorous social media presence. The fact that an AI-generated photo with a spicy headline can generate this much attention proves that some might have considered it actual news. That obviously leads to reputational damage for both parties, and when it involves a minor, the risk is only amplified.