'People were aggressive': Wayne Gretzky's daughter Paulina Gretzky received death threats after Dustin Johnson's LIV Golf move

Time of India

2 days ago

Paulina Gretzky faced severe backlash, including death threats after Dustin Johnson's move to LIV Golf (Getty Images)
In a revealing moment from Netflix's Full Swing docuseries, Paulina Gretzky—model, influencer, and daughter of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky—opened up about one of the most turbulent chapters of her public life: the intense backlash following husband Dustin Johnson's decision to leave the PGA Tour for LIV Golf in 2022.
Paulina Gretzky
stepped back from the spotlight after receiving serious threats
Dustin Johnson's $125 million deal to join the Saudi-backed league ignited a firestorm across the golf world. But while much of the spotlight remained on the athlete, it was Paulina Gretzky who quietly endured a darker side of the controversy.
'People sending death threats and awful, awful, awful things,' Gretzky recalled on Full Swing Season 2. 'People were aggressive that's for sure. But that's when I shut it down for a little bit.
I was like I don't need to look at this. Everyone has an opinion on it. Fine.'
Full Swing Season 2 | Official Trailer | Netflix
The reaction was so extreme that Paulina made the decision to step away from social media entirely—despite her active and influential online presence. For the daughter of a sports icon and the wife of a two-time major winner, it was a jarring reminder of how personal the world of professional sports can become, especially when politics and money collide.
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Paulina Gretzky defends the decision and embraces a new lifestyle
Despite the backlash, Paulina doesn't regret the move. In fact, she credits it with improving their quality of life and giving her more space to stand beside her husband rather than behind him.
'We have a little bit more time together now since things have changed a little, whereas before, it was like, go go go,' she explained. 'We have more control now of how we do things. That old life that we had, I had to take a backseat, but now it feels like we're in the front of the plane together flying.
It was the right move.'
Also Read:
Who are Wayne Gretzky's kids and what do they do? A closer look at the legendary NHL star's family
While the PGA Tour and LIV Golf have since moved toward a possible merger, the road remains rocky. And for Paulina Gretzky, the experience revealed just how much pressure comes with standing beside a man who challenged golf's traditional path—and how much strength it takes to keep moving forward.
Game On Season 1 continues with Mirabai Chanu's inspiring story. Watch Episode 2 here.