Paige Spiranac Shares Her Childhood Friendship With Us Open Champion Revealed Ahead Of This Week’s PGA Championship
Paige Spiranac, the renowned golf influencer and former professional golfer, has once again captured the attention of the golfing world, this time by opening up about her deep-rooted connection with 2023 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark. As the PGA Championship unfolds at Quail Hollow this week, Spiranac’s heartfelt reflections on their shared childhood in Colorado have added a personal touch to the high-stakes tournament. Their story, detailed in the latest season of Netflix’s Full Swing, showcases a bond forged through junior golf and mutual dreams of success on the fairways.
Spiranac, now 32, has transitioned from a competitive golfer to a social media powerhouse, amassing over four million Instagram followers and one million on X. Her engaging content, ranging from golf tips to candid commentary, has made her a prominent voice in the sport. Yet, her recent revelations about Clark, 31, highlight a lesser-known chapter of her life—one filled with memories of braces, junior tournaments, and the innocence of youthful ambition. “I remember Wyndham when he was this tall,” Spiranac said on Full Swing, gesturing to a child’s height. “Most people don’t know this, but we’re both from Colorado. We grew up playing junior golf together, and now we’re here.”
The pair’s friendship began in the competitive yet tight-knit junior golf scene in Colorado. Spiranac, born in Wheat Ridge and raised in Monument, was a standout talent with a gymnastics background before a knee injury steered her toward golf. Clark, a Denver native, was always seen as a prodigy, with peers noting his “something special,” as Spiranac recalled in a 2023 social media post. “Everyone would always say he had something special, and we all knew he’d make it,” she wrote after Clark’s U.S. Open victory. That win, where he edged out Rory McIlroy by a single stroke at Los Angeles Country Club, marked Clark’s second triumph of the 2023 season and cemented his status as a major champion.
Their shared journey took center stage in Full Swing’s third season, released in February 2025. In Episode 5, titled “Two Tickets for Paris,” Spiranac interviewed Clark, reflecting on their early days chasing golf dreams. She spoke candidly about the pressures Clark now faces as a top-ranked player, noting, “He has to deal with all the pressure of people looking at him and having to compete week in, week out.” The episode also touched on Clark’s unsuccessful bid for the 2024 U.S. Olympic team, with Spiranac expressing pride in how far her friend has come despite setbacks.
Clark’s 2025 season, however, has been challenging. Since his U.S. Open win, he has secured only one PGA Tour victory at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February 2024 and a single top-five finish this year at the Houston Open in March. His tie for 46th at the 2025 Masters was a disappointment, but the PGA Championship offers a fresh opportunity to reclaim major glory. Spiranac, ever supportive, has used her platform to champion her childhood friend, calling his U.S. Open win a “very cool moment” in her 2023 post.
Spiranac’s own golfing career, while shorter, was notable. She played collegiately at the University of Arizona and San Diego State, leading the Aztecs to a Mountain West Conference Championship in 2015. Turning pro in 2016, she won a Cactus Tour event against top amateur Hannah O’Sullivan but retired after failing to secure an LPGA card. Her shift to media has been wildly successful, with partnerships like PointsBet and her subscription-based OnlyPaige platform, launched in 2023, offering exclusive golf content.
As the PGA Championship tees off, Spiranac’s tribute to Clark resonates beyond the leaderboard. Her Tiger Woods-inspired red outfit, worn to honor the sidelined legend, has also sparked buzz, showcasing her ability to blend nostalgia with modern flair. While Clark battles golf’s elite, including Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, Spiranac’s reflections remind fans of the human stories behind the sport. Their Colorado roots, forged in junior golf’s crucible, continue to inspire, proving that even in golf’s high-pressure world, lifelong friendships endure.
