In the modern landscape of professional sports, there are stars, there are superstars, and then, in a category of her own, there is Caitlin Clark. Her ability to dominate headlines, shatter viewership records, and galvanize a new generation of fans is so potent that it has been rightfully dubbed the “Caitlin Clark Effect.” But the true measure of her power is not just what she’s done for the WNBA; it’s what she’s doing for sports she doesn’t even play professionally.

This Wednesday, November 12th, the Indiana Fever’s generational talent will return to the golf course, and the world of professional golf is bracing for an impact it has rarely, if ever, seen. Clark is set to play in the Annika Pro-Am for the second consecutive year, and to hear the event’s iconic host, Annika Sörenstam, tell it, this is not just another celebrity appearance. It is a seismic event.

Sörenstam, a legend who has defined women’s golf for decades, spoke to NBC Sports with a sense of awe that is typically reserved for major championships, not midweek pro-ams. “She added so much excitement to the tournament,” Sörenstam revealed, her words painting a picture that defies all precedent for a non-professional player. “We had a lot of people come out. They were standing on the first tee at 7:00 a.m. waiting for her to see that first shot.”

Let that sink in. Not 10 a.m. Not 9 a.m. Fans were lining up in the dawn light, not for a final-round pairing, but for a single drive from a basketball player.

This is the core of the “Caitlin Clark Effect.” It isn’t just that she draws a crowd; it’s who she draws. Sörenstam, one of the savviest figures in sports, knows that the future of her game, like any game, relies on capturing the next generation. Clark, it turns out, is the ultimate key.

“We have so many young girls out there on that Wednesday,” Sörenstam continued, describing the scene from Clark’s last appearance. “Just wanting… an autograph, whether they brought a basketball or a hat or something. It was just nice to see a new demographic enter the golf course.”

This is the phenomenon that has the entire sports world captivated. Clark is a walking, talking marketing revolution. She doesn’t just bring more people; she brings new people. She makes sports accessible and exciting to a demographic that leagues have spent billions trying to attract. For Sörenstam and the LPGA, having Clark on the course is more than a publicity stunt; it’s a glimpse into a brighter, more mainstream future.

“I’m so glad that she wanted to come back,” Sörenstam said, “because you know, it brings more people to the game, brings more people to the tournament, and that’s really what we’re looking for.”

The enthusiasm from the golf world stands in stark, almost painful, contrast to the narrative that has surrounded Clark during her professional basketball career. While the LPGA is rolling out the red carpet, celebrating her crossover appeal, and publicly praising her for attracting new fans, Clark’s WNBA tenure has been mired in jealousy and controversy. She has faced criticism from veteran players, been the target of flagrant fouls, and had her every move scrutinized by a league that seems, at times, to resent the very light she shines on it.

This Wednesday’s Pro-Am, held at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, is a masterclass in how to leverage a generational star. The event organizers are not shying away from the spotlight; they are aiming it directly at Clark. For the first nine holes, she will be paired with the best in the world, Nelly Korda, just as she was last year. For the second nine, she will play with sponsor invite Lauren Goyan. Even the Golf Today program is building its coverage around her, promising live action, highlights, and a dedicated interview.

This enthusiastic embrace is precisely what her fans, and indeed many sports analysts, have been screaming for. The LPGA, a league often seen as a direct competitor to the WNBA for sponsorships and airtime, is demonstrating a level of business acumen and professional grace that has, at times, seemed sorely lacking in Clark’s own sport.

Sörenstam herself admitted they were caught off guard last year. “We just didn’t really know what to expect,” she said. “And I think the response was very positive.” Now, they are prepared. “Now we’re trying to make sure that everybody gets a piece of it, and also that Clark can enjoy it and feel like she’s having a good time.”

That last part feels particularly poignant. After a grueling and frustrating sophomore season in the WNBA, “having a good time” is exactly what Clark needs. Her second year was ravaged by a series of soft tissue injuries that limited her to just 13 games. She last played on July 15, right before the All-Star break, after injuring her right groin. She was forced to watch from the bench as her Indiana Fever team, which she had carried to new heights, advanced all the way to the WNBA semi-finals without her.

This golf outing is more than just a game; it’s a public re-emergence. It’s a reminder to the sports world that even after being sidelined with injuries, her star has not dimmed. If anything, her absence from the basketball court has only made her presence on the golf course a more significant, must-see event. Her Fever teammates, Sophie Cunningham and Lexi Hull, will even be caddying for her, a sign of team solidarity that warms the heart.

As the WNBA remains locked in the midst of negotiating a new, high-stakes collective bargaining agreement—a negotiation that owes much of its leverage to Clark’s very existence—its biggest star will be demonstrating her massive, undeniable value in another league’s arena.

Caitlin Clark is proving, once again, that she is not just a basketball player. She is a cultural force, a demographic-shifter, and the most powerful magnet in all of women’s sports. The LPGA and Annika Sörenstam are smart enough to recognize it, celebrate it, and build an entire event around it. The rest of the sports world would be wise to take notes.