BELLEAIR, Fla. – Caitlin Clark had simply wrapped up a busy day of media obligations on Tuesday at Pelican Golf Membership, forward of her LPGA pro-am debut at The Annika pushed by Gainbridge, an Indianapolis-based sponsor of the 22-year-old Indiana Fever famous person. Many of the professionals had already left the property, however Clark placed on some sweatpants, slipped off her high-heels and headed straight to the chipping space – barefoot. Below the setting solar, Clark hit shot after shot, some good, some unhealthy. Two unlucky skulls raced throughout the 60-yard lengthy inexperienced earlier than ending only a few paces from the glass-windowed media middle.
Clark’s prime precedence this week, she mentioned, was to not hit anybody, so she was utilizing each last-minute alternative to rein in her recreation.
A day later, that aim lasted eight holes – and practically two – proving Clark is human in spite of everything.
Sights and sounds from WNBA star Caitlin Clark’s look within the LPGA’s Annika pro-am.
Taking part in alongside world No. 1 Nelly Korda within the morning portion of Wednesday’s pro-am, Clark tugged her hybrid into a large gallery left of the par-3 ninth inexperienced. Nobody was harm, and one spectator walked away with a signed golf ball (numbered with Clark’s signature No. 22), presumably a light-weight bruise and one heckuva story.
Clark teed off brilliant and early, at 7 a.m. ET, in entrance of tons of of followers, many sporting Indiana Fever and Iowa Hawkeye jerseys. A gaggle of about 15 younger ladies from Ladies Golf, an LPGA and USGA initiative, traveled in, largely from Miami, to observe Clark and Korda play collectively. They introduced indicators and raised them up behind each tee field. Many different youngsters had skipped faculty for the chance to get a glimpse of the WNBA Rookie of the 12 months.
The format was a shamble, so it mattered little that Clark was preventing a slice along with her driver. She discovered the inexperienced along with her opening strategy and two-putted from about 25 toes. However then got here the lefts along with her irons, not a terrific recipe on a brutally powerful Pelican structure. In a set space off the second inexperienced, Clark’s Texas wedge didn’t have sufficient tempo to stand up onto a extreme shelf, and her ball rolled again down off the placing floor. Clark instantly scooped up her ball however then questioned her resolution as Korda despatched her chip by means of the inexperienced and down subsequent to Clark’s ball.
“Guess I shouldn’t have picked that up,” Clark mentioned to the gallery.
“Wait till the third gap!” shouted a fan.
“What’s on the third gap? Ought to I be scared?” Clark responded, playfully.
Moments later, on the par-3 third, Clark practically missed the ball along with her hybrid, topping it 45 levels left and seeing it whiz simply over the heads of the followers crammed alongside the rope line. A number of then raced into a close-by bougainvillea bush to fetch the memento. Thorns be damned.
Clark missed the pin on the par-4 fifth about 40 yards left, however then got here the primary of a number of flashes of brilliance along with her brief recreation, simply one of the best a part of her recreation on today. With the inexperienced working away from her after which dropping off the entrance, Clark displayed some delicate arms in chipping her third shot to fifteen toes. Even higher, she sank the putt for par.
Clark ‘bigger than life’ at The Annika pro-am
From LPGA Tour gamers to spectators, everybody wished their slice of the Caitlin Clark expertise at The Annika pro-am.
“It was a terrific to see how relaxed she was,” Korda mentioned. “Clearly with the media consideration she has gotten in all probability up to now yr and a half, two years, you’ll be able to see how she’s snug enjoying in entrance of a bigger crowd. And he or she was simply actually having fun with it. You possibly can inform. Like she’s positively very proficient. She was selecting the ball actually clear. She was dropping a pair pictures to the precise, however I requested her what number of instances per week she performs, and I feel with the quantity of obligations she has, she in all probability will get to the golf course as soon as per week. So, for simply enjoying as soon as per week, she was enjoying very well.”
On the flip, Korda and Clark exchanged golf balls, and Korda handed Clark off to World Golf Corridor of Famer Annika Sorenstam, who caught one on the par-3 twelfth gap, organising Clark’s solely birdie of the day from 6 toes.
The group roared.
It was precisely the scene match organizers envisioned when Clark dedicated to the occasion. Ticket gross sales had been reportedly 12x in comparison with final yr.
“Nothing we might actually see on a standard Wednesday,” Sorenstam mentioned. “It’s simply nice the way it brings consideration to the match.”
Sorenstam broke down Clark’s recreation a bit, saying Clark had some pop off the tee and good dynamics in her swing however struggled along with her tempo, which was somewhat fast.
“She performed with Nelly on the entrance, and Nelly is all about energy, so in fact whenever you play with somebody like that you simply need to swing tougher and sooner. Now when it’s windy, I’m like, simply bought to relax, discover the tempo, and attempt to make it possible for membership face is extra sq. to the goal. I feel I that’s extra vital. Once more, for her, there’s a lot occurring. It’s not simply on the market specializing in my recreation. She’s making an attempt to be the face of the day.”
Sorenstam’s largest recommendation to Clark, a 16-handicap, going ahead?
“She simply must play,” Sorenstam mentioned.
Clark on {golfing} with Nelly, soaking in The Annika
Throughout her pro-am spherical at The Annika, Caitlin Clark chats with Kira Okay. Dixon about {golfing} with Nelly Korda, Annika Sorenstam’s trailblazing affect and her personal ambitions for her budding golf profession.
Clark did a walk-and-talk with Golf Channel’s Kira Okay. Dixon on the seventh gap and promptly chunked a 3-wood. She shortly tossed one other ball down and dropkicked one down the green. She laughed by means of all of it. Normally, Clark is one of the best participant within the area, however on this event, she was the one appreciating greatness.
“Clearly, attending to see them do what they do up entrance is – like individuals would pay for that. I bought to do it totally free and have enjoyable with them,” Clark mentioned afterward. “Undoubtedly a enjoyable morning. Really feel very grateful that Gainbridge had me out right here. Clearly, their assist of girls’s sports activities is great. Very fortunate and lucky. Hung in there; did all proper. It was a very good day.”
And with that, Clark signed just a few autographs as followers barreled down the hill behind the 18th inexperienced earlier than heading to the airport, absolutely itching to get again on a golf course quickly.