Golf pin-up Paige Spiranac has lashed out after being met with faux outrage online over a harmless comment she made in relation to Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama, who stormed to victory at the Masters on Sunday.
The stunner took to Twitter on Sunday after Matsuyama clinched the iconic green jacket at Augusta, telling the Japanese hero that his victory was "well-deserved".
Spiranac then offered a casual compliment towards the cuisine in Matsuyama's homeland, igniting a far-fetched race storm in response.
The menu for the champions dinner is going to be absolute fire next year
RACIST COMMENT: Paige, Thailand has the spicy food. Not Japan. But then they all look alike, right? SHAME ON YOU!!!!! You should apologize to the entire Far East of planet Earth for the sentence you wrote.
"The menu for the champions dinner is going to be absolute fire next year", said Spiranac, only to be immediately met by anger and finger-pointing.
"Paige, Thailand has the spicy food," boomed one reader, using capital letters to tell Spiranac that she had made a racist comment. "Not Japan. But then they all look alike, right? Shame on you."
The comments on this tweet are the stupidest I’ve ever read. Japanese cuisine is fantastic & no where did this tweet mention sushi? People love to grasp at straws that just simply aren’t there.
Honestly it’s disgusting how everything gets twisted. I made a comment about how amazing the menu will be next year because I love Japanese food. Most winners create menus to honor where they are from and I would expect Hideki to do the same.
Another felt Spiranac should "apologize to the entire Far East", concluding: "If you don’t understand that her post is racist and offensive, you are part of the problem."
Spiranac seemed shaken by the saga. "Honestly, it’s disgusting how everything gets twisted," she hit back. "I made a comment about how amazing the menu will be next year because I love Japanese food.
"Most winners create menus to honor where they are from and I would expect Hideki to do the same.
"I don’t care if someone calls me a sl*t but to be called a racist is uncalled [for]. I would never and I’m honestly so upset about this."
