IN PHOTOS: Caitlin Clark-mania hits the golf world as fans throng for a glimpse

The "Caitlin Clark effect" was on full display as the Indiana Fever star began her LPGA journey at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican event in Belleair, Florida.

During Wednesday’s pro-am, Clark teamed up with world No. 1 Nelly Korda for the front nine and joined 10-time major champion Annika Sorenstam, who is also hosting the tournament, for the back nine. While she played alongside golfing legends, her own star power shone brightly.

Photos shared by sports photographer Bri Lewerke on X (formerly Twitter) showed Caitlin Clark surrounded by enthusiastic fans.

Clark was also photographed signing autographs and engaging with her supporters.

Unlike most pro-am events, which draw only small crowds, Clark’s participation attracted a large following, with fans tracking her every move from hole to hole.

Caitlin Clark shares a humorous goal for the LPGA event

Known as a sharpshooter in basketball, Clark joked about her goal for the LPGA event at Tuesday’s Women’s Leadership Summit, saying her main aim was to avoid hitting anyone with a golf ball.

During the event, Clark shared that she grew up playing golf with her father and named PGA Tour star Rory McIlroy as her favorite golfer. The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican event, featuring Caitlin Clark, runs until Sunday.

Before her standout rookie season in the WNBA, Clark participated in the 2023 John Deere Classic pro-am.

In her first WNBA season, Clark averaged 19.2 points, a league-leading 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds, shattering multiple records to earn Rookie of the Year honors.

Though many WNBA players usually join international leagues in the offseason and some are set to compete in the upcoming Unrivaled 3x3 league with stars like Angel Reese, Clark has chosen to focus on golf for now, despite receiving an offer to join the Unrivaled league.

About the author

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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