Caitlin Clark, the rising WNBA sensation and one of the most dominant basketball players of her generation, just dropped a bombshell, and no, it’s not about basketball. In a world where Tiger Woods practically invented the word “golf legend,” Clark, with a straight face, confessed that her favorite golfer is—wait for it—Rory McIlroy. Yes, the Northern Irishman, who’s great and all, but come on, no Tiger?
While you’d think Clark’s competitive, record-shattering personality would align her with the relentless, comeback-kid energy of Tiger Woods, she had different ideas. In an interview, Clark shared the story of how her dad gave her a pink golf club as a child, sparking her interest in the sport. And let’s face it, nothing says “I’m destined to be a golfing genius” like a tiny, pink golf club. It’s almost too adorable to handle.
“Honestly, Rory was one of my favorites growing up. I had the TV on watching him all the time,” Clark explained. She also shared how she used to beg her dad to take her to the golf course. But unlike basketball, where she can dunk on someone’s dreams as part of a team, golf is all about individual performance. And apparently, that was the kind of challenge Clark wanted—something where, if things went wrong, she could only blame herself and not the ref for a bad call.
But let’s not pretend this decision hasn’t left a few jaws on the floor. Tiger Woods is like the Michael Jordan of golf, and yet Clark looked beyond the GOAT and went straight for Rory—who, while immensely talented, hasn’t had the same level of sheer dominance. She didn’t exactly choose the easiest route for fan approval. But hey, McIlroy’s perseverance and passion seem to have struck a chord with the WNBA star.
For someone who spends most of her time dismantling defenses and hitting buzzer-beaters, Clark finds the solitude and serenity of golf to be an intriguing contrast. It’s almost cute to picture one of basketball’s fiercest competitors enjoying the frustrations of the fairway. “I wasn’t very good,” she admitted, which is honestly reassuring for the rest of us struggling to make par at mini-golf.
But Clark’s admiration for McIlroy isn’t just about his skill. It’s about how he carries himself—the ups, the downs, the resilience. “I loved how he plays, his dedication… he’s a role model,” she said. The fact that she seems to find a little bit of herself in McIlroy is a charming revelation, though it still feels a little like admitting you love Pepsi more than Coca-Cola in a world run by Coke.
So, while Caitlin Clark might dominate basketball headlines, her heart clearly holds a place for the frustrating, often humbling world of golf. Rory McIlroy may not be Tiger Woods, but hey, he’s got a WNBA MVP rooting for him, and that’s got to count for something.
In the end, maybe we can all take a lesson from Clark—be unapologetically yourself, even if that means choosing the pink golf club over the championship green jacket.
