Swimsuit

We’ll Never Forget That Time Paige Spiranac Rode a Motorcycle in a Bikini in Aruba

The golf influencer and social media star was photographed by James Macari for the 2018 SI Swimsuit Issue.

Ananya Panchal

Paige Spiranac

Paige Spiranac was photographed by James Macari in Aruba.

Golf influencer Paige Spiranac didn’t know just how life-changing her SI Swimsuit feature in 2018 would be. The social media star, who was just beginning to grow her platform, was photographed by James Macari in Aruba and, at the time, she felt “stuck” in her transition from a professional athlete to content creator.

The model, who has 3.9 million followers on Instagram and 958,000 fans on X, formerly known as Twitter, has been a trailblazer for women in sports everywhere. From navigating the world of sponsorships and brand deals to changing the stereotypical narrative on how female athletes should dress, Spiranac is a true force of nature. She’s also a major inspiration to fellow SI Swimsuit models like Olivia Dunne.

“Doing that [photo] shoot was incredibly empowering. Having MJ [Day, SI Swimsuit editor in chief] there to talk me through it the entire time and build me up, I’ve never been in an environment where I’ve had so many women empower me and lift me up, which is something that we preach all the time, but you don’t really see it in real life. It was just such a life-changing moment for me,” the 30-year-old gushed with emotion. “It was the most confident and powerful and empowered that I have ever felt, and I carry that now. Whatever I do, that's a big part of me and a badge that I'll hold forever, being a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model.”

Below are four phenomenal photos from the Colorado native’s 2018 photoshoot in Aruba.

Paige Spiranac
Paige Spiranac
Paige Spiranac
Paige Spiranac

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Published
Ananya Panchal

ANANYA PANCHAL

Ananya Panchal is a NYC-based Lifestyle & Trending News writer at SI Swimsuit. Before joining the Swim team, the Boston University Alum worked for culture & entertainment beats at Bustle, The San Francisco Chronicle and the TODAY Show. When Ananya is not writing or doom-scrolling on social media, she can be found playing sudoku, rewatching One Tree Hill or trying new restaurants. She's also a coffee and chocolate (separately) enthusiast.