Caitlin Clark amused fans at the 2025 Annika Pro-Am by joking about her caddie, who had disappeared right at the moment she hit an excellent tee off at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.
The 23-year-old was partnered with Nelly Korda and gave an honest account of herself over her first nine holes with the defending champion, before linking up with Lauryn Nguyen for the back stretch.
And she even managed to nail an excellent opening shot in footage posted by the Indiana Fever to Instagram. With the wind billowing and a silent crowd, the air was split by the sound of the WNBA guard striking the ball with her driver.
The fans around erupted into surprise cheers with the well-struck shot as the basketballer, dressed in blue and black with a white cap, hit a fist-pump and pointed to her two Fever teammates, Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull, stood behind her.
“[That’s] because my caddie left, he went to the bathroom,” Clark quipped, showing off the fun side of her personality for extra measure with blue skies above her and a well-kept green grass beneath her on a picturesque day.
Clark enjoys run at the Annika with 11-under-par
Clark, former Iowa women’s basketball star with the Hawkeyes, is competing in The Annika from November 13-16, in what serves as the penultimate LPGA tournament with a $3.25 million purse.
She described the experience as a challenge outside her usual environment on the hard wood of the basketball court, as her team finished tied for 36th with a score of 11-under-par on Wednesday.
“Obviously this isn’t the environment I’m usually in,” Clark said. “So it’s kind of a challenge and something fun that I love to do. I’m just really thankful that Annika and Gainbridge had me out here.
“The weather turned out to be pretty nice. Everybody was like, sorry it’s kind of cold. I’m like, no, it was snowing in Indianapolis this past week. So, this is great weather for me.”
She partnered with notable athletes, including soccer legend Briana Scurry and NASCAR driver Carson Hocevar, highlighting the unique mix of professional golfers and celebrity participants in the pro-am.
Clark participated following a challenging 2025 WNBA season in which she played 13 games, averaging 16.5 points, five rebounds, and 8.8 assists per contest.
Her right groin injury on July 15 against the Connecticut Sun sidelined her for the remainder of the season and postseason.
The July injury marked her fourth muscle issue during 2025, following a previously unbroken college and rookie WNBA campaign.
Despite setbacks, the Annika appearance allowed Clark to demonstrate athletic versatility while continuing her rehabilitation for the 2026 season.
The Fever finished the 2025 campaign 24-20, advancing to the semifinals before falling to the eventual champions Las Vegas Aces in Game 5.
Her Annika participation signals her recovery progress and commitment to staying competitive across sports.
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