Caitlin Clark is officially taking a step back from the golf course, skipping the LPGA Pro-Am next month for the first time in her career. After making back-to-back appearances in the LPGA’s penultimate event, Clark is hitting the pause button on the links following the Indiana Fever’s season-ending loss to the Las Vegas Aces in the first round of the WNBA playoffs on Thursday night. Mike Nichols, chief of sponsorship strategy and activation for Group 1001, confirmed the news to Golfweek, saying, “She is not going to be playing this year. We have enjoyed the energy she has brought to the tournament the last two years and look forward to having her back in the future.” That’s a big shift for an event Clark helped put on the map last November when Fever teammates Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull joined her as caddies, bringing extensive coverage with them.
The Playoff Grind and a Tough Outing
The Fever’s season ended with their second straight postseason setback to the Aces. In the final game of her third WNBA season, Clark finished with 18 points, four assists, two steals, and a less-than-ideal six turnovers. Her shooting from the floor was a struggle, as she missed 12 of the 18 shots she took, including a rough nine of her 12 attempts from three-point range.
It’s clear why she needs the break. Clark told reporters after the game, “This is like obviously the most basketball I’ve played at any year of my career. And to be completely honest with you, I didn’t take a break when our season ended last year.” She added, “So I’ve been going for almost a year and a half or whatever it is now because I had to prepare for USA Basketball in December and then March and getting ready for our season. So I haven’t taken a break from the game in a really long time. So it’s been a long grind, but a really fun one and a very rewarding one.” The woman has been playing non-stop, and that’s just wild to think about.
A Season of Growth and What’s Next
This season followed a 2025 campaign where Clark played only 13 games due to injury. Despite that, she felt good about her performance, stating, “And obviously, I didn’t play much last year, but I was able to come out here and put together the best season I’ve had and perform at a really high level and basically get better in every area.” She’s not stopping there either, “Still feel like I have so many areas to improve. So I guess that’s the most exciting part moving forward.” That’s the mindset you want from your franchise player.
Beyond the court, Clark had a massive week, celebrating the launch of her first sneaker, the ‘Caitlin 1,’ with Nike on Thursday. This was a multi-year project where Clark was deeply involved in the design and performance, and the shoes are set to drop in more than a half-dozen colorways from now through Christmas. Talk about making moves! Clark is signed with the Fever through the 2027 season and is absolutely the face of the franchise moving forward, even if the roster around her looks different. Teammates Sophie Cunningham and Kelsey Mitchell, who averaged 24.7 points per game, are both free agents. The Fever’s front office has some serious work to do.
After a much-deserved break, Clark will be back to lead the Fever next season. The question isn’t if she’ll improve, but by how much. With a full offseason to rest and train without a demanding schedule, the rest of the league needs to be ready.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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