Iowa Basketball Star Caitlin Clark Draws Massive Crowds at Golf Tournament: ‘Super Cool to See’
Pro-Am at TPC Deere Run could see her on Wednesday.
The Iowa Hawkeyes basketball star, 21, drew a massive following for 18 holes of the event, where she played alongside fellow Iowan and U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson and rookie pro Ludvig Aberg.
“I had a really good time,” Clark said, according to the Des Moines Register. “I thought I did a little better on the front nine, wasn’t as tired. I got really tired on the back nine, but it was fun. I appreciate all the Hawkeyes fans who were out there today, a lot of people who support the Hawks and women’s basketball. That was super cool to see.”
Throughout her round, Clark could be seen signing autographs for her legions of fans at the tournament, which is in Silvis, Illinois and located within the Quad Cities — and just a few hours away from Clark’s hometown of West Des Moines, Iowa.
In addition to all of the fans, Clark’s boyfriend Connor McCaffery — who also played basketball at Iowa — as well as her parents, younger brother and the Iowa women’s assistant coach Jan Jensen all followed her for 18 holes, according to ESPN.
Clark is a golf fan who grew up playing as a kid, and told reporters that she says the game shares some similarities with the other one for which she’s a bit more known.
“I had a solo par to start the day, which was nice,” Clark said. “I wasn’t too nervous on the first tee. It was kind of, ‘Don’t waste time, just go up there and hit it.’ It think it’s the same with basketball. You have to settle into the game a little bit.”
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