Iowa hoop star Caitlin Clark tees it up at John Deere Pro-Am - ESPN

SILVIS, Illinois — After leading the Iowa Hawkeyes to their first NCAA women's basketball championship game, being consensus national player of the year and winning the Honda Cup as the top collegiate women's athlete, Caitlin Clark added another honor to her 2023 list of accomplishments. She got to play golf alongside U.S. Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson, a fellow Iowa native, on Wednesday.

Clark, an avid golf fan who has played since childhood, competed in the John Deere Classic Pro-Am at TPC Deere Run.

«It's just unique and special; I haven't had many opportunities to play a different sport, and at PGA Tour event,» Clark said. «I'm a big fan of golf. I love to play and be around it. Every Sunday I usually have the TV on and I'm watching.

»Obviously, a big fan of Zach. We worked on my chipping a bit, leaning more on my front foot."

Clark teed off at 8:08 a.m. local time, splitting the fairway on her opening drive. She drew a large crowd; the course is in the greater Quad Cities area, just about 70 miles from where Clark is known for making from-the-logo 3-pointers and pinpoint passes at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City, Iowa.

Many spectators were sporting No. 22 shirts as they lined the fairways, pleading for autographs from Clark, who kept busy signing throughout the 18 holes. Johnson grinned when asked the last time he might have been the second-most popular Iowan on a golf course.

«Well, Connor McCaffery was walking with us today, too, so I'm probably third or fourth down the list,» Johnson said, referring to Clark's boyfriend, who played for his father, Fran McCaffery, on Iowa's men's basketball team. «That's awesome, man. I wouldn't have it any other way.»

Connor, Clark's parents and younger brother, and Iowa