How will Caitlin Clark help grow sport of women’s golf at The Annika? | Golf Today | Golf Channel

Paige Mackenzie and Karen Stupples discuss Caitlin Clark playing The Annika pro-am for the second straight year, Kai Trump being a sponsor exemption for the tournament, Craig Kessler trying to grow the game and more. #Golf #GolfToday #CaitlinClark #KaiTrump #CraigKessler #PaigeMackenzie #KarenStupples
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How will Caitlin Clark help grow sport of women’s golf at The Annika? | Golf Today | Golf Channel
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SOMETHING. IT WAS NICE TO SEE A NEW DEMOGRAPHIC ENTER THE GOLF COURSE. >> TIME NOW FOR ANOTHER “GOLF TODAY” ROUNDTABLE, THIS ONE WITH PAIGE MacKENZIE AND KAREN SETUP SETUPLES. AM I UPSET THAT THE BIGGEST STAR ON THE PROPERTY PLAYS A DIFFERENT SPORT? >> LET’S REFRAME THIS A LITTLE BIT. SPORTS STAR IN PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL THAT WANTS TO PLAY IN A PGA TOUR PRO AM, DO YOU THINK THE PGA TOUR GUYS ARE UPSET THAT THEY’RE TAKING THE SPOTLIGHT FROM THEM? NO. I THINK THEY’RE EXCITED THE BEST ATHLETE IN THE WORLD IS ENGAGED IN THE GAME OF GOLF. YOU’VE GOT THE MOST PROMINENT WOMEN’S SPORTS STAR THAT IS INTERESTED IN OUR GAME. THAT’S A GOOD THING. >> LAST YEAR THERE WERE A CRUSH OF PEOPLE FOLLOWING HER ALL DAY, ALL GENDERS, ALL AGES OUT THERE. WE CAN ASSUME WE’RE GOING TO SEE THE SAME TOMORROW, MAYBE ON STEROIDS. THERE’S NO PLAYBOOK FOR THE LPGA TOUR TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO PORT THAT INTO THE EYEBALLS FOLLOWING THE LPGA AFTER NEXT WEEK. IS THERE ANY SUGGESTION ON HOW THEY CAN FULLY CAPITALIZE ON THE INTEREST CAITLIN CLARK IS GOING TO BRING? >> I THINK THAT’S A REALLY TOUGH QUESTION, BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY YOU SAW A GREAT DEAL OF INTEREST LAST YEAR. THERE WERE SPECTATORS WATCHING THAT HAD NEVER BEEN TO AN LPGA GOLF TOURNAMENT BEFORE, BUT YET THEY WERE GOLF FANS. THEY EVEN SAID THEY WERE FANS OF ANNIKA AND NANCY LOPEZ AND OTHER PLAYERS AND YET THEY HAD NEVER BEEN TO AN LPGA EVENT. THE LESSON TO BE LEARNED IS WHERE DO CAITLIN CLARK’S FANS ALL COME FROM? YOU’VE GOT TO GO WHERE SHE’S PLAYING BASKETBALL TO THOSE TOWNS AND CITIES AND TRY TO GET THEM INVOLVED IN THE LPGA TOUR MORE, TRY AND HOST AN EVENT NEARBY SO MORE FANS CAN COME AND SEE MORE LPGA EVENTS. YOU’VE GOT TO MAKE IT EASY FOR PEOPLE TO WATCH AGAIN ONCE THEY’VE SEEN WHAT’S AVAILABLE. >> PAIGE, IS THIS WEEK REPLICATABLE IN ANY WAY? >> THE CROSSOVER STAR IS A UNIQUE SITUATION. WE COVER THE GAME SO WE’RE A LITTLE BIT BIASED. WE KNOW THEM AND THEIR STYLE OF PLAY. I THINK THE LPGA HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THINGS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY MOVING FORWARD WITH THE NEW COMMISSIONER. I’M HOPEFUL WE’RE GOING TO SEE NEW WAYS THEY’RE ENGAGING THEIR FANS. I HAVE MENTIONED THIS A MILLION TIMES AROUND KAREN. I FEEL LIKE THE LPGA HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO MORE INSTRUCTION STYLE IN THEIR TV PRODUCTION, BECAUSE IT’S A RELATABLE TYPE OF GOLF. YOU UNDERSTAND HOW GOOD THEY ARE WHEN YOU CAN RELATE TO THEM. THAT’S ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST ASSET ASSETS. >> IT HAPPENS EVERY YEAR ON MULTIPLE TOURS. THIS YEAR IS NO DIFFERENT, THIS WEEK IN PARTICULAR PRESIDENTS CUP’S GRANDDAUGHTER KAI TRUMP HAS AN INVITATION. SHE’S GOT A LOT OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS. SHE’S NOT IN THE TOP 3,000 AMATEUR PLAYER RANKINGS. GIVEN THAT IT’S THE LAST EVENT OF THE YEAR, IS IT A WISE USE OF AN INVITATION IN YOUR MIND? >> THAT’S AN INTERESTING TOPIC AND ONE THAT HAVING BEEN A PLAYER THAT RELIED OCCASIONALLY ON THOSE LAST EVENTS OF THE YEAR TO TRY AND GET SOME POINTS, I CAN TOTALLY UNDERSTAND. I ALSO KNOW THAT I HAD A WHOLE SEASON BEFORE THAT TO GET INTO THE EVENT TO KEEP MY CARD. LIKE THIS ISN’T JUST THE ONE STANDOFF EVENT. THIS IS WHERE IT’S POSITIONED AT THE END OF THE YEAR. SPONSORS ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THE LPGA TOUR. I THINK WE LOSE SIGHT OF THE FACT THAT THE LPGA IS AN ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. WE HAVE TO LOOK AFTER FANS AND THE SPONSORS AND OBVIOUSLY LOOK AFTER THE PLAYERS TOO. FIRST AND FOREMOST, I THINK SPONSORS ARE VITALLY IMPORTANT. IF THEY WANT TO INVITE SOMEBODY TO COME AND PLAY, THEY SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO DO THAT, BECAUSE THE PLAYERS HAVE HAD EVERY OPPORTUNITY TO GET THEMSELVES INTO POSITION BEFORE THIS WEEK. SO I DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THEM INVITING WHOEVER THEY REALLY WANT TO INVITE. I THINK THIS IS AN INTERESTING INVITE. SHE IS THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THAT’S PRETTY SIGNIFICANT STUFF. I HOPE SHE RAISES HER GAME AND THAT THE MOMENT BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN THIS AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR HER, BECAUSE AS THE WEEK GOES ON THE SHE DOESN’T PLAY PARTICULARLY WELL, THE INTEREST THAT SHE BRINGS WILL SLOWLY DROP OFF. >> ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE EXEMPTION, OR IS THERE ANY CONCERN THIS IS A PLAYER THAT SHOW SHE’S ON HER WAY TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, MAY STRUGGLE IN THIS FORM? >> CERTAINLY. CERTAINLY THAT’S A POSSIBILITY. I HAVE ZERO PROBLEM WITH THE SPONSOR INVITE FOR ALL THE REASONS KAREN LAID OUT. I WOULD ALSO ADD, SHE’S GOT 2 1/2 MILLION SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWERS. SHE’S ALSO ATTRACTING A YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC AS IT RELATES TO GOLF. WHEN YOU LOOK ACROSS THE SPORTS LANDSCAPE, IT’S BECOMING CLEARER AND CLEARER THAT YOU NEED TO CAPTURE THE JUNIOR, THE 8 TO 12-YEAR-OLD. THAT IS WHAT MAINTAINS AND LASTS A LIFETIME IN WHATEVER SPORT IT IS. IT’S BECOMING VERY CLEAR THAT IS THE PREMIER AGE THAT WE SHOULD BE SEEKING TO HAVE LIFELONG GOLFERS. I THINK SHE HITS ALL THE MARKS IN THAT WAY. >> THERE’S SO MANY PLAYERS IN THE FIELD THIS WEEK THAT HAVE AN EYE ON NEXT WEEK, MAKING THAT TOP 60 TO BE IN THE CME CHAMPIONSHIP. LAST WEEK ONLY ONE PLAYER PLAYED HER WAY IN. THAT WAS CARLOTA CIGANDA. ARE YOU HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT’S SET UP? >> I’M HAPPY WITH THE WAY IT’S SET UP. PEOPLE ON THE BUBBLE MAY WANT A LITTLE MORE VOLATILITY IF THEY’RE ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN. BUT I LIKE THE IDEA YOU’RE NOT HAVING EVERYBODY’S SEASON DETERMINATION COMING DOWN TO ONE SINGLE EVENT, THAT YOU TRULY GET AN EVEN DISTRIBUTION OF POINTS THROUGHOUT THE SEASON WHERE YOU’RE NOT HAVING SO MUCH HAPPENING. IF YOU WANT THE HIGH VOLATILITY, COME UP WITH THE PLAYOFF SEASON. WE SEE THAT ON THE MEN’S SIDE. ON THE WOMEN’S SIDE, I HAVE ZERO PROBLEM WITH HOW THEY HAVE THIS SET UP. >> THIS IS PROBABLY THE DEEPEST WE’VE GONE IN AN LPGA INTERVIEW WITHOUT MENTIONING NELLY KORDA. LOOKING FOR HER ING — HOW WOULD YOU GAUGE HER FRUSTRATION LEVEL IN 2025? >> WE LOOK AT HOW SHE’S PERFORMED IN PREVIOUS YEARS WHEN SHE’S HAD TIME OFF. SHE’S ALWAYS COME BACK STRONGER AND BETTER THAN SHE WAS BEFORE. SHE’S ALWAYS RELISHED THE ABILITY TO TAKE TIME OFF, WORK ON HER GAME AND GET INTO A POSITION WHERE SHE CAN COME OUT AND PLAY WITH FREEDOM. I THINK THIS GOLF COURSE ALLOWS HER TO BE FREE. SHE’S PLAYED VERY WELL ON THIS GOLF COURSE BEFORE. SO I EXPECT HER TO HAVE A REALLY GOOD SHOWING. WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF SHE DEFENDS AND GETS HER FIRST WIN THIS SEASON. THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PRESSURE ON HER BECAUSE OF HER SEVEN VICTORIES LAST YEAR. EVERYBODY IS EXPECTING THE SAME FROM HER. IT’S BEEN A COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LPGA SEASON. THERE’S BE SO MANY DIFFERENT WINNERS FROM SO MANY DIFFERENT COUNTRIES. THEY’VE ALL REALLY SHUT NELLY OUT. NELLY HAS BEEN THERE A COUPLE OF TIMES TRYING TO BREAK FEW. BUT YOU’VE HAD A ROOKIE OR A FIRST- TIME WINNER THAT’S BEEN THE UNDERDOG STORY THAT’S BEEN THE KEY ON TOUR THIS YEAR. >> SPEAKING OF AMERICAN ICONS, A YEAR AGO WE SAT HERE ON THE LEXI THOMPSON RETIREMENT TOUR. SHE’S GOING TO BE IN THE SEASON FINALE NEXT YEAR. HOW IMPRESSIVE IS IT THAT SHE HAS QUALIFIED FOR THAT PLAYING AT WHAT IS AT BEST A PART-TIME SCHEDULE? >> THE ENTIRETY OF HER CAREER HAS BEEN IMPRESS I IVE MPRESSIVE. WHAT I THINK IS EXCITING IS SHE SEEMS HAPPY AS A HUMAN BEING WITH THIS LIMITED SCHEDULE. MADE PERSONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS EARLY IN THE YEAR AS IT RELATES TO ENGAGEMENT. HAVING BALANCE IN LIFE LEADS TO LONGER CAREERS. EVERY SINGLE PROFESSIONAL GOLFER WILL SAY THAT. SHE’S FIGURED OUT SOME SORT OF BALANCE THAT HAS CONTINUED TO ALLOW HER TO PLAY AT A HIGH LEVEL ON A REDUCED SCHEDULE. >> JEENO THITIKUL, THE BOUNCEBACK VICTORY AFTER THE MISSES SHORT PUTT, IS THAT PUT BEHIND HER? THAT LOOKS LIKE IT WOULD HAVE LEFT A SCAR FROM AN EMOTIONAL STANDPOINT. GETTING THAT SECOND VICTORY THIS SEASON, HOW IMPORTANT WAS THAT FOR HER GOING FORWARD CONSIDERING SHE’S STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES OF HER PROFESSIONAL CAREER? >> I AGREE WITH THAT. EVERY TIME YOU MISS A SHORT PUTT, IT DOES CREATE A LITTLE BIT OF, OH MY GOODNESS, I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT HAPPENED. YOUR CONFIDENCE CAN DEFINITELY TAKE A BIT OF A HIT. BUT NOT ONLY FROM MISSING THAT AT KROGER, BUT YOU THINK BACK TO THE AMUNDI EVAN CHAMPIONSHIP WHERE GRACE KIM JUST BEAT HER OUT BY PLAYING SOME AMAZING GOLF IN THE PLAYOFF TO WEDGE HER OUT OF THAT ONE TOO. SHE’S BEEN CLOSE TO MANY TIMES THIS YEAR TO ONLY COME OUT WITH TWO VICTORIES. WHEN YOU’RE ABLE TO WASH AWAY THOSE BAD MEMORIES WITH A VICTORY, YES, YOU CAN KIND OF MOVE ON A LITTLE BIT. I STILL FULLY MAINTAIN THOSE LITTLE MISSES AND THOSE VICTORIES THAT ARE ALMOST THERE RIGHT BEEN YOUR GRASP BUT YOU DON’T QUITE PULL IT OFF, THEY SIT WITH YOU. EVERY SINGLE PLAYER HAS HAD THOSE CLOSE CALLS. THEY CAN STILL GO BACK TO ONE THING THAT HAPPENS OVER THE COURSE OF A ROUND THAT THEYTHEY THAT’S THE SHOT I WANT TO HAVE BACK BECAUSE I KNOW I CAN MAKE IT NEXT TIME. THAT NEVER LEAVES YOU. EVERY TIME YOU TEE IT UP, IT’S ALL STARTING AFRESH. SHE’LL