Caitlin Clark to return for The ANNIKA Pro-Am, teeing it up again alongside golf’s best
The Indiana Fever guard, who played with Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam last year, will return to Belleair, Florida, for the LPGA tournament’s Pro-Am on Nov. 12.
WNBA star Caitlin Clark will return to Belleair, Fla. next month to play in the Pro-Am at The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
This is the second consecutive season for Clark to tee it up. She’s had an endorsement deal with Gainbridge, the title sponsor of this LPGA event, since her senior season at the University of Iowa.
“I had an amazing time at The ANNIKA last November and participating in the Pro-Am alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam, two of the best in the game,” Clark said in a statement. “I’m honored to be an ambassador for a company in Gainbridge that is so committed to elevating women’s sports. I can’t wait to return to Tampa in November to play in the Pro-Am with the best women golfers in the world.”
Clark will play on Wednesday, Nov. 12 at Pelican Golf Club. Pro-Am tickets are $25 — and event organizers saw demand increase 1200% for the Pro-Am because of Clark, one of the most popular sports figures in the world.
The Golf Channel went live during her round and had a reporter interview Clark on a walk down the fairway.
That’s the Caitlin Clark Effect.
Most groups had a handful, sometimes a dozen followers. Clark had thousands. She played the front nine with world No. 1 Nelly Korda and the back nine with golf icon Annika Sorenstam, the event’s host.
“It was an honor to play in the pro-am with Caitlin last year. The crowds were amazing, and we are excited for her return to The ANNIKA in November,” Annika said. “She added such a great dynamic to our event, and her passion for golf and competitiveness were fun to witness firsthand.”
IndyCar drivers Colton Herta and Marcus Ericsson served as caddies.
I was the only reporter from Indy (and from basketball) on the course to cover Clark’s involvement last year. She had a full schedule the day before as the outing also held a successful women’s leadership summit that became standing-room only.
As part of her involvement, Gainbridge donated $22,000 to the Caitlin Clark Foundation.
“I love (golf),” she said last year. “I love being outside and making it competitive with my friends. That’s what’s been fun about it. It’s challenging and getting to come here and be around the best and have a good time is what I’m looking forward to.”
The ANNIKA is the penultimate event on the LPGA Tour calendar and the prize purse is $3.25 million.
From Last Year
