Caitlin Clark is no stranger to large crowds, given her time in the spotlight as a decorated basketball player in college and now the WNBA.

Clark found herself to be the centre of attention once again on Wednesday, local time, this time playing golf alongside top-ranked Nelly Korda and tournament host Annika Sorenstam at the LPGA Tour pro-am event in Belleair, Florida.

Clark was up bright and early, testing her mettle at the Pelican Golf Club with a passionate crowd following her every shot and eventually getting plenty of autographs from the Indiana Fever star.

The reigning WNBA rookie of the year appeared to have fun at every turn, providing self-deprecating humour along the way, although she did not have much choice after aggressively shanking her tee shot on the third into the crowd.

“Thanks for the good kick, whoever I hit,” she said.

She pulled a ball out of her pocket and hit a second, much straighter, tee shot, later joking on Instagram: “This is why you keep extras in the pockets.”

Clark autographed the shanked ball and apologised to the fan, who walked away with a story to tell.

The misfire aside, Clark brandished a smile throughout her experience on Wednesday, enjoying her first off-season in quite some time.

But, just as the fans were desperate for her time and attention, to which she obliged, Clark is still in demand even after her debut WNBA season.

The 22-year-old is reportedly weighing up a US$1 million ($1.54 million) offer from fledgling women’s 3×3 basketball league Unrivaled, started by WNBA stars Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier.

Clark’s rookie contract with Indiana is 164 times smaller than men’s 2023 number one pick Victor Wembanyama, but she earns millions from endorsements.

“I’m still so busy,” she said.

“I got to get things done that I haven’t been able to do during basketball season. Everybody thinks I have a bunch of free time, but I have been busy, been doing stuff.

“I like to keep myself in a routine and working out, whatever it is. It’s been a lot of fun, and I enjoyed it.”

Korda said she enjoyed her time with Clark on Wednesday, going so far as to say that it “felt like two friends hanging out”, but acknowledged the ever-present bigger picture.

“It’s just great for women’s sports,” she said.

“I love that she has a love for the game of golf. I’ve never really tuned in to watching basketball before her, honestly. So, I think it’s just growing the interest in all women’s sports, and I hope that’s what grows from this relationship.”

Clark, for her part, said she had watched Korda’s game, although it did not help her all that much.

“She’s amazing, but golf is hard,” Clark said.

While not on the level of NBA counterpart Stephen Curry, who almost plays off scratch, Clark said she likes getting away to walk the links and played in the John Deere Classic pro-am last year on the PGA Tour.

“It was great to see how relaxed she was,” Korda said.

“Obviously, with the media attention she has gotten probably in the past two years, you can see how she’s comfortable playing in front of a larger crowd. And she was just really enjoying it. You can tell.

“She’s definitely very talented. She was picking the ball really clean. She was losing a [of] couple shots to the right, but I asked her how many times a week she plays, and I think with the amount of obligations she has, she probably gets to the golf course once a week.”

Korda has clinched LPGA player of the year for the first time.

ABC with wires