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Debate

Is Caitlin Clark the Tiger Woods of basketball, or is she carving her own unique path?

“I don’t know what I’m going to do the next day. Maybe play some golf.” Caitlin Clark divulged her off-season plans last month. And seems like she is sticking to it. The ROTY has often expressed her love for golf, which she has imbibed from her father. From begging her dad to take her golfing to giving her Indiana teammates some tough competition, her love for golf is noticeable. But is she a potential golfer to participate in an official event?

Now that Clark will be participating in the LPGA Pro-Am, a viral clip from the past has resurfaced where she is seen playing golf while comparing herself to the legendary Tiger Woods. However, what’s unique is that she soon was checked by her own golfing skills in the next shot, and fans couldn’t help but feel a rush of excitement while watching the snippet.

“I feel like I am like Tiger Woods. That’s what it feels like but then you go to the next hole and then you get humbled instantly. So…,” Clark exclaims in the clip after potting a ball. However, she did not spare the chance to be her humorous self to instantly light up her fans.

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After Clark’s dismissal at the hands of Angel Reese’s LSU in the 2023 NCAA Championship Finale and just before the Masters commenced that year, the short was posted by Iowa Basketball on their official YT channel. However, those fans who are a little late to the party can catch the action live when Clark participates in the LPGA Pro-Am Event next month.

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Commencing in November, the Fever star will be taking part in the LPGA Pro-Am Event Annika. She will be showing off her skills in Annika’s Pro-Am which is the penultimate event in the LPGA tour. The event will be hosted by the legendary Annika Sorenstam, and Clark will also be catching all eyes at the Women’s Leadership Summit in Belleair, Florida, a day before the Pro-Am.

Gainbridge is also a sponsor of the LPGA event showing off ties with Clark. This will be her second try at the sport as W’s single-season assists record-holder had also played in the Pro-Am at the John Deere Classic in 2023. And while Clark would be looking to stay in her Tiger Woods mode for some time, this is not the first time she has been compared to the golf icon.

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Caitlin Clark tagged as the Tiger Woods of basketball

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Is Caitlin Clark the Tiger Woods of basketball, or is she carving her own unique path?

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During a game between the Indiana Fever and the Chicago Sky in June this year, Clark was driving strong toward the basket when her rival Reese hit her in the head. While a foul was called by the refs, the Sky No. 5 opined it was just a basketball play. But as the refs saw the video to confirm the same, they upgraded it to flagrant foul 1. Once the game was over, Reese taunted that “some players get a special whistle,” without taking any name but most probably referring to Clark. Seeing this, a lot of Clark fans, came to the fore to support their star and one of them was the sports commentator Dan Patrick.

Patrick, while lauding Clark for her exceptional gameplay, drew parallels between her and the legendary Woods and Stephen Curry. He further added that the generational player had earned the limelight due to her skills and she deserved it. “If you watch her play, there’s nothing exciting about her game, she’s just a really good solid player. She plays hard and I commend her for that. Caitlin Clark got all of this exposure because she’s unique. Just like Steph Curry or Tiger are/were unique,” Patrick commented on the Dan Patrick Show.

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Moreover, other former WNBA stars and analysts have also brought out this comparison. Nancy Lieberman, while calling a Fever vs Dallas Wings game, clearly thanked Caitlin Clark for her impact. Then, while the point guard was taking a few free throws, she announced, “You are going to make all these women multi-millionaires one day. Like Tiger (Woods) did, like Michael Jordan did. We shouldn’t hate on her. We should celebrate her, not tolerate her.” 

As Clark progressed further into the season, she gave a strong reply to her haters by winning the ROTY, making her own case to be compared to the greatest of all times. Hence, fans are curious to watch her play yet another sport, specifically since she has often expressed her love for golf. Moreover, while the event will not broadcast over any channel, golf enthusiasts can hope that ‘The Caitlin Clark Effect’ impacts their sport as well for better coverage in the future. But for now, the fans can certainly have an example soon to compare the ‘Iowa sensation’ to the golf legend in his own sport.

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