"She's going to bring so many eyeballs" - Lilia Vu, Megan Khang and other LPGA golf stars join the Caitlin Clark frenzy
Caitlin Clark is at The Pelican Golf Club to play in the LPGA Tour's ANNIKA driven, a Gainbridge Pro-Am event. The event takes place this Wednesday, November 13, and Clark's presence has generated a lot of anticipation among fans and the tour's stars.
Golf Channel's Kira Dixon, on Tuesday, reported that several LPGA Tour players spoke with her about possibly being near Caitlin Clark on the course. According to the report, one of the players who expressed her excitement was defending champion Lilia Vu.
This is part of what Lilia Vu had to say, according to Kira Dixon:
"So exited that Caitlin [Clark] is here. She's going to bring so many eyeballs to this week and to our game in general."
Dixon also spoke with Andrea Lee, who told her that her tee time for the Pro-Am was 7:10 a.m. and she hoped it would allow her to meet Caitlin Clark for a picture. Megan Khang, meanwhile, lamented that her tee time was in the afternoon and that she would not be able to meet Clark on the course.
Another opinion gathered by Dixon was that of Marina Alex, whose locker is next to Caitlin Clark's, giving her a good chance to see and talk to her.
Clark is a big fan of golf, so much so that at the end of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) season, she said she planned to devote her offseason to golf.
The WNBA's Indiana Fever star will join world number one and two-time major champion Nelly Korda at the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge Pro-Am event.
Caitlin Clark on her goal for the ANNIKA Pro-Am event: "I just don't want to hit anyone with a golf ball"
Caitlin Clark participated in a pre-tournament event called the Annika Women's Leadership Summit. She reflected on several topics and mentioned her "number one priority" for the pro-am event.
Here is a portion of what Clark had to say (via Golf Digest):
"I'm strong, and I can hit it. It just usually doesn't go straight. I mean sometimes it goes straight, but it depends. You just step up there and hope for the best … I just don't want to hit anyone with a golf ball. That's my number one priority."
Clark also reflected on her motivation to stay competitive after her historic rookie season in the WNBA (via NBC Sports):
"It’s not because of the wins and the points you score; it’s the amount of joy that you can bring people and the young girls that will one day grow up to hopefully be whatever they want to be."
Clark made her WNBA debut in 2024 after a successful college basketball career. In her first season as a professional, she set several records and was named Rookie of the Year.