Paige Spiranac's message to the haters in 'green jacket' photo

Paige Spiranac has hit back at her critics with a revealing photo in a green jacket for the upcoming Masters.

Taking to Instagram on Thursday, the former professional golfer posted a photo of herself wearing a green jacket with nothing underneath.

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The green jacket is presented to the winner of the Masters every year at Augusta National.

And the 28-year-old sent a defiant message to her haters who have told her: 'No one will ever take you seriously if you keep posting pictures with cleavage.'

"So here’s to continuing doing what I want," she wrote.

"I made some towels with this image and other prints inspired by The Masters!

"Link in bio if you want to buy or for the haters to dry their tears with."

Spiranac was formerly a professional golfer but has stepped away from the sport to start a career in the media.

She has over three million followers on Instagram and runs the successful podcast 'Playing a Round'.

The American regularly cops backlash for the photos she posts on social media, with comments usually suggesting she focus more on golf than how she looks.

"It’s crazy I can be told I look too fat, too skinny, too plastic, too old, wearing too much makeup, not enough makeup, boobs too big, butt not big enough, too pale, hair too blonde, not blonde enough all in one day," she wrote on Twitter earlier this year.

"Guys it’s not a Build-A-Bear workshop over here. Calm it down."

Return to normalcy as Masters nears

Postponed last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Masters is back to being that annual rite of spring - the first major of the year, not the last one - and so much about the 85th edition that begins April 8 feels almost normal.

Gone are the autumn hues of gold, orange and red in the trees, the brown leaves mixed in with the pine straw on the ground.

Augusta National is blazing with pink and red and purple azaleas, accented by the white blooms of dogwood.

Inside the ropes - yes, there are ropes - is a course expected to play fast, firm and scary.

“I think it will be back to feeling like a normal Masters,” defending champ Dustin Johnson said.

“I’m definitely looking forward to that.”

Along with the spring colours, the volume returns, though not to the same decibel.

Augusta National had no choice but to keep the spectators away in November because of the pandemic, just like the other majors last year.

The only witnesses to a master-class performance by Johnson were media, staff, club members and families.

with Associated Press

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