Where Caitlin Clark goes, television networks are sure to follow.
Even golf networks.
The WNBA star returns to the LPGA’s The Annika pro-am this week, and with a nod to Clark’s popularity, Golf Channel announced it will provide live, on-site coverage of her pro-am round on Wednesday. The network’s coverage from the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla, begins at 10 a.m. ET as Clark will be paired with World No. 2 and defending champion Nelly Korda, who has won three of the past four The Annika tournaments.
(The latest episode of The Athletic’s women’s basketball podcast, “No Offseason”, focused on Clark’s interest in golf. Click here to listen.)
The Annika is hosted by World Golf and LPGA Hall of Famer Annika Sorenstam. It is the LPGA Tour’s final full-field regular-season event for the 2025 season.
As part of the coverage, Golf Channel said it will have live interviews throughout Clark’s round, including with Indiana Fever teammates Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham, who is Clark’s caddie at The Annika. Briana Scurry, former U.S. Women’s Soccer National Team goalkeeper, Sorenstam and Korda will also be interviewed during the round.
In a bit of cross-promotion, the network said Kate Scott, USA Network’s lead WNBA play-by-play announcer, will join its studio broadcast live Wednesday. The WNBA and Versant, the media company that will be spun out next year featuring NBCUniversal’s cable television networks — including sports-oriented USA Network — announced earlier this year an 11-year media rights agreement for USA Network to present WNBA games, including the regular season and portions of the playoffs and WNBA Finals in select years.
The coverage of Clark expands what Golf Channel did last year when the WNBA All-Star played The Annika.
“I had an amazing time at The Annika last November and participating in the Pro-Am alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam, two of the best in the game,” Clark said in a statement. “I’m honored to be an ambassador for a company in Gainbridge that is so committed to elevating women’s sports. I can’t wait to return to Tampa in November to play in the Pro-Am with the best women golfers in the world.”
Outside of the pro-am, Golf Channel will present live coverage of The Annika on Thursday and Friday from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. ET, Saturday from 2:30-4:30 p.m. ET, and Sunday from 2-4 p.m. ET.
The Athletic’s Hugh Kellenberger and Gabby Herzig chronicled Clark’s appearance at The Annika last year, which featured crowd swellings into the thousands following the most famous women’s basketball star in the world.
