Paige Spiranac quit playing golf a long time ago. The 29-year-old continues to have a considerable viewership amongst golf fans, but that primarily has to do with her businesses outside the sport. However, she has been criticized repeatedly for sexualizing women’s golf through her social media reach. There was a time when she was invited to play at the prestigious Dubai Ladies Masters for which she received much criticism, which Spiranac defended robustly.

How was Paige Spiranac invited to the 2015 Dubai Ladies Masters?

Having turned pro in 2015, Spiranac received an overwhelming pursuit of sponsors unheard for a rookie. This was seemingly because of her YouTube videos which attracted more than 1.5 million views and had made her an internet sensation.

Read More: ‘That Always Is a Turn-On’: When Paige Spiranac Revealed the Qualities She Seeks in Men

Labeled as “the hottest female athlete on earth” by an American magazine, Spiranac was gaining massive fanfare before hitting the course. To cash in on the popularity, she was invited to the Dubai Ladies Masters, widely regarded as the fourth most valuable tournament on the Tour.

Denunciation followed soon after. Many claimed that Spiranac received an invite to one of the most prestigious golf competitions on the basis of her looks and social media presence. To clear the air, Spiranac came up with a bold message to back her invitation.

What did Spiranac say about her invitation to the Dubai Ladies Masters?

“I understand where they are coming from,” she told a leading news daily. “I mean, I’ve played golf and have had good results, but when you look at my game compared to the top players in the world, I’m not in the same league.”

However, Spiranac said her work ethic ahead of the tournament was exceptional. “But I wish they could see that I’m working as hard as I can. I may make it, I may not make it. But I’m just trying to focus on what I need to do to get to the next level and trying not to focus on what they say,” she said.

Spiranac failed to live up to the hype at the tournament, carding a lowly 77 on the first day to be tied for 94th in the 108-strong field. The following day didn’t help either, as a score of 79 all but guaranteed Spiranac missing the cut.

Watch this story: Why did Paige Spiranac switch states and move to move to Colorado?