The American Century Championship golf tournament will start on July 11. The three-day event will have many celebrities in action, with Stephen Curry, Charles Barkley, Aaron Rodgers, Jason, and Travis Kelce testing their skills on the green field. Cathy Engelbert’s name is also on the list. This brings back the 2024 offseason memory, with WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark appearing in the Pro Golf AM.
While the league is getting competitive and expanding to 18 franchises, the WNBA Commissioner was seen in a joyous mood. She jokingly mentioned that the ‘W’ players will be preparing for the upcoming All-Star game and working on bettering their team’s records in the league. So, fans might not have any WNBA stars featured in the golf competition at Lake Tahoe. Yet, she had to address the ‘cat in the bag’.
Cathy Engelbert Talks About “Caitlin Clark Effect”
Despite the league’s steady progress over the years, the WNBA’s popularity exploded in 2024. The inclusion of talented and star college players brought new storylines, new ways of playing the games in the league, and millions of fans. Merch sales, media deals, and new partnerships experienced a ‘huge spike’ that had never been seen before in the WNBA.
Caitlin Clark was the face of this rise, with other rookies also making the 2024 season a huge success. Englebert broke down the sudden surge.
“You need a household, you need rivals, you need games of consequence to get people to watch. You need to have your games shown on a national broadcast. We got 80 of our games, out of 240 games, when I came in, now came over 205. So, I mean, if you build it, they will come. There’s no more apathy for the WNBA,” Engelbert told Dan Hinxman, American Century Championship representative.
The WNBA did well, nurturing and banking on the storylines coming into the league. The records and stats point to CC as a massive difference maker, and Englebert did well not to single her out as the reason for the current success. She was also spot on with comments about players being unable to play in the ACC. So, fans might not see the 2024 Rookie of the Year on the Golf course in July, but she might again show up during the off-season.
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Caitlin Clark And Her Love For Golf
Fans might have seen the Iowa star making history on the basketball court. Her playmaking and clutch shots, combined with the logo three-pointers, make the game more entertaining. But along with basketball, CC has her heart set on Golf.
The Fever rookie explained Golf as a valuable form of relaxation and stress buster. She mentioned that outdoor sports allow her to escape basketball demands and enjoy different challenges and activities. Interestingly, the competitive athlete wants to win in Golf, even though it’s leisure for her. She started playing Golf at 6, with her dad being her first coach. She even played
File this under things we love to see 👀
— LPGA (@LPGA) October 14, 2024
Game knows game 🤝 @CaitlinClark22 pic.twitter.com/zf5JYHuQxh
With ‘chipping’ as her stronghold, CC can shoot in the “low 80s.” In 2023, Caitlin Clark played with pro golfers Zach Johnson and Ludvig Aberg in the John Deere Classic Pro-Am. Her team finished five under par, making it a successful venture for her. Then, during the 2024 WNBA off-season, the star rookie was again on the golf course, participating in the penultimate tournament on the LPGA Tour hosted by golf legend Annika Sörenstam.
While her golfing skills are being brushed up, Indiana Fever’s first pick will be focused on the 2025 WNBA season. Her ‘star-studded’ team currently stands at a disappointing seventh position after 19 games.