BELLEAIR, Fla. — Caitlin Clark wants to set the record straight.
The reigning WNBA Rookie of the Year does not have plans to “become a professional golfer.” She loves the game, is nearly obsessed with it. She plays or practices as often as she can. But the playful answer to a simple question caught fire after her Indiana Fever were eliminated from the playoffs in September.
“That was a joke and now everyone thinks I’m such a good golfer. I set myself up for that,” Clark said Tuesday at Pelican Golf Club, where she’ll play on Wednesday in the pro-am of the LPGA’s Annika tournament with Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam and World No. 1 Nelly Korda.
Whatever comes from this week can only be positive. The most popular female athlete in the world is spending time with the best on the LPGA, even if Clark is trying to downplay it. She hasn’t played the golf course, but she did grind out a long chipping session Tuesday before sundown—practicing in her bare feet, no less.
Clark knows she’ll be nervous on the first tee with Korda with so many people and cameras around. She’s used to that part of it. The golf, not so much. She played in a pro-am for the John Deere Classic a few years ago, but that was before she had all this recent notoriety. This seems different.
“I just feel very fortunate,” Clark said. “When they asked me to come down here, I was like, yeah, I can get away from the Indianapolis cold. I get to play golf with some of the best. This is amazing. Sign me up.”
Clark, 22, is now a global superstar, having led her Iowa Hawkeyes into the NCAA championship game last spring and then immediately being drafted No. 1 overall by the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. She ended the season seventh in scoring and was tops in both assists and three-pointers made, all leading to the rookie honor.
Caitlin Clark had a big following of fans when she played in the 2023 John Deere Classic pro-am.
Michael Reaves
Six weeks into her offseason, she’s spending some time around the best on the LPGA. Tuesday at Pelican, Clark sat with Sorenstam and former model Kathy Ireland as keynote speakers to a full house at a women’s leadership summit. We learned, among other things, that she’s not fond of cats. There was a black cat that roamed her neighborhood while growing up in Iowa, and she’s still not over how creepy it seemed. Her favorite snack is Doritos. Original, of course.
But now that those festivities are over, it’s time to get to business. Clark will tee off at 7 a.m. EDT Wednesday. She’ll play the first nine holes with Korda and the second with Sorenstam.
“Getting to be with two of the best probably ever to play this game, it’s super fun and special for me,” Clark said. “I’m a fan of both of them, and a fan of all the women on this tour.
“I think it’s absolutely incredible. It’s special for myself. I’ve tried to practice as much as I can. I’m just the average golfer. I’m going to hit some good, I’m going to hit some bad. It is what it is. Just going to try not to hit anyone standing outside of the ropes. But it’ll be fun. I’m excited for it.”
Tickets for the week, and Wednesday in particular, have been sold at 12 times the rate to last year, according to tournament officials. Golf Channel announced last week that it created special programming around Clark’s pro-am appearance, including her warm-up and a walk-and-talk interview.
Clark-mania has already been felt by LPGA players on the grounds, many of whom have not even yet met her. Brittany Lincicome, who is retiring from a full-time playing schedule after this week, brought a basketball for Clark to autograph. Lincicome met with the media before Clark and patiently waited for her moment. She’ll now give the basketball to her young daughters, Emery and Sophia.
Annika Sorenstam and Caitlin Clark speak at their press conference.
Icon Sportswire
“Oh my gosh, I’m going to be honest, I’ve never watched women’s basketball and then to see her at the Final Four; we were in Vegas that week and I watched every minute of it, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever,” Lincicome said. “What she has done for women’s sports and basketball and to have her at our golf tournament … I’m like in awe.
“But it’s just really cool to see her coming out. I’ve seen her swing. I think she has a great swing, and she has potential. But how cool for her to come out and support us this week and only help grow women’s golf.”
Said Sorenstam: “For her to be here and how it would affect golf, we’ll see, but we’re probably going to see people we wouldn’t see otherwise come out here. The effect that she has, I’m thinking young girls might say, ‘well, maybe I don’t play basketball, I’ll play golf.’ They look up to her. Whatever she does, she wants to do. I’m excited she’s here and bringing a little more exposure to this event.”
“We spoke a little earlier, and I think all of the golfers, we have a lot in common. We’re very competitive and so is she, and I think there’s going to be some friendships made with her and the golfers, so I think it’s a good thing.”
This article was originally published on golfdigest.com
