The potential of the LPGA was clear to see this week with the levels of interest which followed Caitlin Clark as she appeared in the Pro-Am at The ANNIKA, with nine holes played alongside world number one Nelly Korda.
Caitlin Clark has become one of the most recognised figures in sport in the last couple of years. And she has previously appeared in a Pro-Am on the PGA Tour, so it appeared to be something of a coup to have her involved in a LPGA event which was set to be headlined by Nelly Korda.
The LPGA were praised for pairing Clark and Korda for the Pro-Am, with the other nine holes set to see Clark playing with tournament host Annika Sorenstam. And it was no surprise to see plenty of fans following the WNBA star at Pelican Golf Club.
Of course, Korda’s focus is likely to be on the tournament itself, with the 26-year-old also likely to have one eye on the CME Group Tour Championship next week. But it seems that some are hoping that the experience of being around Clark has a positive impact on the two-time major champion.
Hope Caitlin Clark appearance will have an impact on Nelly Korda
Speaking on the Golf Channel Podcast, Ryan Lavner suggested that Clark could be just the person to help Korda take that next step and completely break out into the mainstream.
“This was Tiger-esque in terms of the fervour of the crowd, the autograph seeking; I was struck by how well Caitlin Clark handles the spotlight. Keep in mind, she is a lot closer to those fans than she would be during a typical college or now a WNBA game. And so, I thought she handled that well, I was struck by how well spoken she is for just being 22 years old,” he said.
“And I know you can’t change a player’s personality, but you would hope that the charisma, the forward thinking attitude that Caitlin Clark has can only brush off positively on a player like Nelly Korda, who has notoriously shied away from media attention and grow the game initiatives.
“I think there is a stark contrast in how those two players handle their professional duties, and I think that this could be a very positive experience for Nelly Korda, to see the outside world for what is possible if she continues to play the way that she did in 2024, and also opens herself up personality-wise in embracing being a telegenic American superstar, which Nelly Korda is.”
How Korda is now embracing being the best player in the world
In fairness to Korda, she seems to be getting better at embracing the role she has as the best player in the world right now. She attended the Met Gala for the first time earlier this year, while she is set to appear in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue.
And it was noticed how Korda acted completely differently at the Solheim Cup earlier this year, dancing to the first tee ahead of her Sunday singles match with Charley Hull. While Korda was beaten in that match, she completely embraced the leadership role – going out in the first match in every session she played that week.
So if there are lessons to be learnt from Clark’s appearance in Florida, you would imagine that Korda will need no encouragement to take them in.
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