Caitlin Clark on the ANNIKA pro-am.
Getty Photos, homeofdiesel//TikTok
Hey associates and welcome to this very particular version of the Rogers Report, the place I’ll be specializing in Caitlin Clark’s look at The ANNIKA this week. Clark was a part of the Girls’s Management Summit alongside Annika Sorenstam on Tuesday, had a press convention on Tuesday afternoon and teed it up within the Professional-Am very first thing on Wednesday morning. Discuss a busy schedule!
The Indiana Fever’s No. 22 and World No. 1 Nelly Korda performed collectively on the entrance 9 at Pelican Golf Membership, and the followers had been out vivid and early to catch the motion.
Aspect observe: This could be the closest factor we get to an official jersey swap in golf, though I wouldn’t hate a Solar Day Crimson and Malbon Golf swap on the 18th inexperienced at a significant if Tiger Woods and Jason Day ever comply with it.
Caitlin Clark does the not possible
Caitlin Clark can do absolutely anything, as we’ve discovered by watching her on the basketball courtroom. Nonetheless, she did one thing I by no means anticipated this week on the ANNIKA: she was relatable. I suppose golf brings out the mortal in all of us, even Clark.
Throughout Tuesday’s Girls’s Management Summit, Clark gave a bunch of considerate replies to questions on ladies’s sports activities and management. She was additionally hilarious. When requested about her golf recreation, she defined that whereas she will be able to hit the golf ball, it doesn’t often go straight.
That is one thing all golfers have mentioned a whole lot of instances. My different favourite second from the summit was throughout a speedy fireplace Q&A session on the very finish. The moderator requested the panelists about their largest concern. Annika Sorenstam and Kathy Eire gave solutions about failure and untapped potential. Clark mentioned cats. Apparently, her neighbor rising up had a imply black cat and ever since then she’s been petrified of them. For a short second there, I noticed myself in her.
I want to provide a significant shoutout to Golfweek’s Beth Ann Nichols, as a result of her content material from the ANNIKA is the spine of immediately’s Rogers Report. Nichols famous that whereas Clark did finally head to the vary earlier than her tee time, it wasn’t till the final minute.
Nothing says “I’ve quite a bit happening” like a last-minute warmup on the vary. I’ll by no means be late to a tee time, however I typically must skip out on a correct warmup earlier than a tee time with my friends as a result of work duties or 1,000,000 different issues that generally get in the way in which. Additionally, a 7:00 a.m. tee time already means you will have an early wake-up! Good for Clark for doing what the remainder of us typically do and reducing the pre-round vary session a little bit brief.
And for the grand finale of Caitlin Clark being relatable, we’ve got her tee shot on the third gap. Please benefit from the video beneath earlier than we actually dive into it.
The topped tee shot that goes instantly into the tough is as human because it will get.
It is extremely protected to say that this was a unique “courtside” expertise for Caitlin Clark. I do fear that the followers standing proper by the ropes have gotten too comfy at golf tournaments. To attend a pro-am is to know to face a few dozen or so yards again from the green always — and even then, you could be too shut. Golf can very simply change into a contact sport throughout pro-ams. I’ve seen this occur with my very own two eyes quite a few instances.
In any case, Clark dealt with this case like a real champion. I undoubtedly would have wished to vanish in that second and possibly would’ve simply dropped my ball up by my taking part in companions’ tee pictures. Then once more, it in all probability helps that she is an expert basketball participant so she is aware of this isn’t her space of experience. She apologized, laughed it off and took a mulligan with out lacking a beat. Whereas many amateurs could be panicking that they’d hit it into the gang a second time, Clark used the stress to her benefit and hit the green.
Getty Photos
The followers
What’s higher than lacking college? Lacking college to look at Caitlin Clark and Nelly Korda. (Editor’s observe: we right here on the Rogers Report are very pro-education and pro-attending class. Nonetheless, it’s not day-after-day you get to see Caitlin Clark play golf, so we assist the LPGA*USGA Women Golf Group taking part in hooky simply this as soon as.)
I’d prefer to take a second right here to endorse handmade indicators on the golf course. They’re so enjoyable to see at different sporting occasions and I may undoubtedly get behind seeing extra of them at skilled golf tournaments.
One constructive results of Clark hitting a number of errant pictures on the ANNIKA is the truth that she actually bought to interact with the gallery. One lady within the gallery bought Clark’s golf ball on the third gap, and I used to be very joyful to be taught that she performs No. 22 on the golf course in addition to the basketball courtroom.
The again 9
Clark teed it up with LPGA legend and match host Annika Sorenstam on the again 9 on Wednesday, and it’s protected to say they make a superb group.
Getty Photos
Clark made a number of birdie putts immediately and please know that if I had been on website for this I’d be yelling “three!” after she drained this one for birdie on the entrance alongside Nelly Korda.
Getty Photos
Takeaways
It has been an extremely thrilling few days within the golf world, and Clark’s participation within the ANNIKA pro-am bought me enthusiastic about my massive takeaways from this week.
Nelly Korda and Caitlin Clark are related
These Nike athletes of their 20s are on the high of their sport. It’s in all probability fairly exhausting to search out folks to go to for recommendation if you’re at that stage. Only some folks know what it’s prefer to take care of the stress of being the most effective, and I actually hope there’s a blossoming friendship right here. It appears like Korda and Clark had a good time chatting on the course!
We’d like extra Caitlin Clark golf content material
The folks (golf followers on website and world wide) have spoken. If Caitlin Clark exhibits up, they may too. The crowds following Clark’s group on Wednesday had been large, and her tee shot on No. 1 went viral by the point she made the flip on the ANNIKA. I’m all in on collaborations with athletes from totally different sports activities going ahead. In reality, I’d like to see Korda at an Indiana Fever follow in some unspecified time in the future.
