In a surprising career shift, basketball star Caitlin Clark will not be seen in the Basketball court this winter. The 22-year-old Indiana Fever player, who has been enjoying a standout season, is taking a break from basketball to compete in an LPGA (The Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour event next month.
Clark has set numerous WNBA records, including the most assists in a single season and being the fastest woman to reach 100 three-pointers. She will participate in the Annika pro-am event, hosted by legendary golfer Annika Sorenstam, from November 13-17 at the Pelican Golf Club in Florida. The event will also include a Women’s Leadership Summit.
“I love golf so the opportunity to play in the Pro-Am for a tournament with a legend like Annika Sorenstam’s name on it is so exciting. I'm looking forward to seeing all the LPGA players on the driving range, being part of the Women’s Leadership Summit, and, of course, teeing it up in the pro-am with Annika," Clark said.
Sorenstam has expressed admiration for Clark’s impact on women's sports, stating, “I have been following Caitlin's career during college and now on the WNBA stage, and what she is doing to bring attention to women's sports both on and off the court is outstanding. I'm excited to meet Caitlin and for her to join us at Pelican Golf Club in November in what will be an exciting week for women's sports.”
The Annika event
The Annika event will feature 120 players competing for a significant $3.25 million prize pool, one of the largest on the LPGA Tour. This announcement comes shortly after Clark celebrated a successful season with the Fever on social media.
Following her impressive college career at Iowa, where she won back-to-back Player of the Year awards and led her team to the national title game twice, Clark has made a significant impact in her rookie WNBA season. She was recently named the league's best rookie, earning 66 of 67 votes, with only one vote for Chicago Sky's Reese preventing a unanimous decision. Their rivalry traces back to college, and there has been discussion around the voting results due to Clark's superior performance.
Clark averaged 19.2 points and 8.4 assists per game, while Reese averaged 13.6 points and 1.9 assists. Although Reese excelled in rebounding, Clark's team was eliminated from the playoffs by the Connecticut Sun last month, while Reese faced a season-ending injury in early September.
Reflecting on her rookie season, Clark continues to build on her achievements from college as she prepares for this unique opportunity in golf.
