The Big Lead

LPGA set to capitalize on Caitlin Clark with expanded pro-am event coverage

By Joe Lago

Iowa women’s basketball’s Caitlin Clark shows off her rings during a second quarter timeout during Iowa football’s game against Northwestern Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa.
Iowa women’s basketball’s Caitlin Clark shows off her rings during a second quarter timeout during Iowa football’s game against Northwestern Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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For Caitlin Clark, her participation in next week's LPGA Tour pro-am event at The Annika in Florida is just another fun thing to do during an offseason away from basketball.

For the LPGA, it's an opportunity to showcase the tour but also to capitalize on The Caitlin Clark Effect.

RELATED: Caitlin Clark nearly makes hole-in-one while preparing for LPGA pro-am

The sporting public can't seem to get enough of the WNBA Rookie of the Year, and the LPGA is wisely making Clark's golf exploits available to the masses by expanding its coverage of Clark at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.

According to the Sports Business Journal, Golf Channel's "Golf Today" will start 90 minutes earlier at 11 a.m. ET to show highlights and live look-ins of Clark's round. Also, the LPGA will live-stream Clark's warmup at the range and will conduct walk-and-talk interviews on the course.

Clark, who tees off at 7 a.m. ET on Wednesday, will have two playing partners. She will play the first nine holes with Nelly Korda, the reigning LPGA Tour Player of the Year, and play the back nine with LPGA legend and tournament host Annika Sorenstam.

Clark isn't attending The Annika just to get in 18 holes.

She will also participate in the Women's Leadership Summit on Tuesday. Of course, that event will also be live-streamed by the LPGA (as well as by NBCSports.com) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ET.

Clark will be striking a ball instead of shooting it. Unrivaled, the new 3x3 basketball league, is still hoping she'll want to do the latter during its inaugural season that begins in January. Despite a reported Lionel Messi-like contract proposal, Clark has yet to make a decision.

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