Caitlin Clark ready to take ‘love’ for golf to Annika pro-am

WNBA star Caitlin Clark as soon as quipped that she would spend the offseason working to turn out to be knowledgeable golfer.

Basketball followers can calm down, as a result of the Indiana Fever star and WNBA Rookie of the Yr stated Tuesday she was solely joking.

Clark is about to play with world No. 1 Nelly Korda on the entrance 9 and 10-time main champion Annika Sörenstam on the again in Wednesday’s pro-am at The Annika at Pelican Golf Membership in Belleair, Florida.

“You understand, having my first WNBA season behind me and being right here is tremendous cool,” Clark stated Tuesday. “I’ve tried to take as a lot time as I can to apply, however there’s solely a lot hope. You simply cross your fingers, pray.

“No, I’ve practiced a bit of bit and I simply had the quote about changing into knowledgeable golfer. All people thought I used to be severe. I used to be not severe. I find it irresistible. I like being outdoors and making it aggressive with my buddies.”

Clark described herself as an “common golfer” with a couple of 16 handicap. She has carded scores within the mid-80s however admitted, “Often, I am simply praying to interrupt 100.”

“I am sturdy, and I can hit it. It simply often does not go straight,” Clark stated on the LPGA Ladies’s Management Summit on Tuesday. “I imply typically it goes straight, but it surely relies upon. You simply step up there and hope for the perfect. … I simply do not need to hit anybody with a golf ball. That is my No. 1 precedence.”

Clark stated that rising up, she performed golf along with her father. She named PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy as her favourite golfer.

It is the second time Clark will compete in a pro-am at knowledgeable occasion. She performed in a single on the PGA Tour’s 2023 John Deere Basic in Silvis, Illinois. The then-Iowa Hawkeyes basketball star was paired with Ludvig Åberg on the entrance 9 and fellow Iowan Zach Johnson on the again.

“I used to be fairly nervous,” Clark stated. “I am going to in all probability be nervous tomorrow, too. I do not know. I imply, I remind myself, like, I do not actually care what occurs. Would not actually matter. I do not play golf for a dwelling.

“Simply have enjoyable with it. This is not tremendous severe. Benefit from the expertise. There have been so many individuals that might kill to be in my place or in my footwear. The folks following outdoors the ropes would love a chance to hit a ball on the primary tee or one thing like that.”

Sörenstam, who has 96 titles worldwide, supplied Clark some recommendation.

“You are an athlete and used to crowds, and I am certain you play higher below stress,” Sörenstam stated. “I am a senior golfer now, so I’ve been working a bit of bit on my sport as a result of I wanted to. It is all about having enjoyable.”