Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark is taking a swing at another golf pro-am on Wednesday. In a break from the hardwood, the former Iowa standout is looking to showcase her skills on the fairway alongside the pros while the Golf Channel looks to showcase a generational star—and a potential boost to the channel’s profile.
“Anytime you’re able to get a special person like Caitlin Clark jumping into our sport, it’s great for everybody,” NBC Sports executive vice president of golf Tom Knapp said on a phone call. “For her to frankly put herself out there and show her golf skills in a pro-am alongside some of the best and most accomplished golfers in the world, it shows just how hard golf is.”
The WNBA Rookie of the Year is set to participate in an 18-hole pro-am titled The ANNIKA at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., on Wednesday. Clark, who has been playing golf since she was 6 years old, will team up with world No. 1 Nelly Korda for the first nine holes and then will pair up with tournament host and 10-time LPGA champ Annika Sörenstam on the back nine. Clark’s participation comes as part of her endorsement deal with Indiana-based insurtech company and tournament sponsor Gainbridge, which also holds the naming rights for the home of the Indiana Pacers and Fever (Gainbridge Fieldhouse).
This isn’t Clark’s first appearance on the pro golf stage. Last summer, she participated in the John Deere Pro-Am where she played alongside two-time major winner and fellow Iowa native Zach Johnson. She was a hit, signing autographs for fans throughout the 18 holes.
It’s the first time in recent years that Golf Channel has expanded coverage and programming for a pro-am event, as Knapp expects this event to deliver higher ratings than the network typically sees in that weekday time window. While the network has done some early viewership projections, Knapp says the costs associated to expand coverage are more based in long-term thinking than short-term returns, especially with the network holding rights to the LPGA, another women’s sports property looking to ride the momentum of growth across women’s sports.
“When we decided to invest in this, we really didn’t say ‘oh it’s going to do two or three times than what we normally would do,’” he said. “We knew it would do better but relative to the economics, this is good for everybody to shine a light on women’s golf and women’s sports. Honestly, we sharpened our pencils a little bit, but we didn’t do a deep dive because we know that this return on investment by showing Caitlin will be good in the long run.”
Golf Channel’s Golf Today show will start at 11:00 a.m. at the ANNIKA—90 minutes earlier than usual. Leveraging the manpower and equipment for the tournament, which starts on Thursday, the network is using the full complement of the telecast to cover the last hour of Clark’s pro-am with highlights and live look-ins. The coverage will also include some tape of an interview with Golf Channel host and reporter Kira K. Dixon.
Pro-ams can be advantageous for networks to deliver unique content that gives viewers a better sense of a player’s approach and preparation with potential interviews before, during shots and after an event. It’s a slate of live practice round content that is difficult to duplicate when the tournament starts. The Golf Channel, which rarely televises pro-ams anymore, is looking to leverage one of the most popular athletes on the planet, a rising golf star and lesser-known legend who helped pave the way for today’s growth. The added focus might be on Clark, but the national attention is expected to also rub off on Korda, who is a Nike-sponsored athlete as well.
Clark, who is mulling an offer from alternative women’s basketball league Unrivaled, isn’t the first star athlete from bat-and-ball sports to take a strong interest in golf and see how they compete next to the pros. Baseball Hall of Famer John Smoltz, as well as future and current basketball Hall of Famers Steph Curry and Michael Jordan, are also accomplished golfers. But this crossover comes at a fortuitous time, as women’s sports are getting more attention than ever.
“She’s just getting started on one of the most iconic careers in professional sports,” Knapp added. “Let’s leave her to the WNBA. But as often as she wants to dip her toe back in our world, we’d love to have her.”
