(Reuters) – Caitlin Clark dominated on the basketball courts this year but on Wednesday the WNBA rookie of the year turned her attention to golf and made her LPGA pro-am debut to great fanfare alongside world number one Nelly Korda and golfing great Annika Sorenstam.
Clark drew huge galleries at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, where she played with Korda on the front nine and Sorenstam on the back.
“It was so fun. Obviously getting to see them do what they do up front is like, people would pay for that. I got to do it for free and have fun with them,” said Clark.
The Indiana Fever guard, whose popularity helped to increase WNBA viewership and attendance this year, hit a wayward tee shot on the third hole that sailed directly over the heads of the spectators who were standing a few feet away.
By the time it was over, Clark was swarmed by fans of all ages behind the 18th green where she took time to sign a few autographs before leaving.
“To see the influence that she has on people, bringing people out here, and to see how amazing of an influence she is just for sports, was really cool to see firsthand today,” said Korda, who last week clinched the LPGA’s points-based player of the year award.
Sorenstam, a 10-times major champion who was one of the best players of her generation when she retired from competitive golf in 2008, said Clark’s presence created a Wednesday atmosphere unlike any she’s ever seen before on the LPGA.
“I think it’s awesome. Yeah, I love all the young girls with the signs. Nothing we would really see on a normal Wednesday,” said Sorenstam. “It’s just great how it brings attention to the tournament.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Davis)
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