Caitlin Clark may be the biggest star in all of sports right now.
For the second straight week, the Indiana Fever superstar participated in the Pro-Am on Wednesday before the first round of the professional golf tournament. This time, she teed it up ahead of the RSM Classic, the final event of the PGA Tour season, in Sea Island, Georgia.
Last week in Bellaire, Florida, Clark performed alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam, drawing thousands of excited fans and making a splash. This time Mr. Clark Presence has become even more modestand that was by design. No one knew Clark was coming to Georgia until Tuesday. She played alongside PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan and 2023 Ryder Cup Captain Zach Johnson.
Other participants in the pro-am included seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady, former NFL MVP Matt Ryan, and music stars Toby Keith and Darius Rucker. Still, Clark still attracted the most attention. It's no wonder why she played with Monaghan and Johnson, but this marks the second week in a row that she's part of a high-profile pair.
“What she's accomplished in the sport, what she's done in the sport and what she's doing in golf is just incredible,” tournament organizer Davis Love III said of Clark.
“I've never played with her or seen her play, so hopefully she continues to grow in her game.”
Unlike Annika last week, Clark stopped short of hitting the crowd at Wednesday's RSM Classic. she instead Stripped multiple drives down the fairwayimpressing everyone on the premises.
There's no doubt that Clark brought a lot of attention to Sea Island this week, but this year's RSM Classic is celebrating its 15th anniversary and features a number of interesting stories. Only the top 125 players in the FedEx Cup standings after this week will earn a PGA Tour card for next season, so dozens of PGA Tour pros will be in attendance. Sitting just on the outside is fan favorite Joel Dahmen, who arrived in Georgia ranked 124th in the FedEx Cup standings. Damen must play well and earn his spot to at least protect his spot next year.
Another story to watch this week is how defending champion Ludwig Oberg will play. The young Swede won his first PGA Tour title at Sea Island a year ago but hasn't won a tournament since. He has three runner-up finishes, including a solo second place at Augusta National. However, Oberg underwent surgery to repair a torn meniscus in September, and this week will be Oberg's first start since surgery.
But Clark's may be the greatest story of them all, one that speaks volumes about her continuing impact.
Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation's Playing Through. Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.
