Caitlin Clark compared to Tiger Woods with ‘punching air’ claim

Caitlin Clark has been compared to Tiger Woods by former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III due to her impact on the WNBA. After propelling Indiana Fever into their first WNBA playoffs in eight years, only to narrowly lose out to Connecticut Sun, Clark is now taking a shot at golf.

She’s teaming up with golf legend Annika Sorenstam for the Annika pro-am event this November at Florida’s Pelican Golf Club. The ex-Baltimore Ravens quarterback Griffin III didn’t hold back his admiration, proclaiming that Clark’s detractors are “punching air” as she brings more attention to women’s basketball, much like Tiger Woods did for golf. He recently stated on X: “Caitlin Clark haters are punching air right now.”

“The WNBA All-Star votes says what most of us already knew. Caitlin Clark is the WNBA’s Tiger Woods. More people watch the W because of her. Period. Total votes increased by 598% for the top 5 players from 2023 to 2024.

“The top 2 vote getters? Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark and Aliyah Boston who are currently ranked 16th and 27th in points per game in the W and are currently the 9th best team in a 12 team league. Last year the top vote getter was A’Ja Wilson, who is still the best player in the World, with 95,860 votes.

“This year Angel Reese, who is breaking records left and right, came in 5th in the fan vote and received 381,518 votes. Yes, the WNBA is more popular than ever. Yes, it’s because of Caitlin Clark. Yes, Angel Reese, A’Ja Wilson, Kelsey Plum, Breanna Stewart, Sabrina Ionescu, Kahleah Copper, Diana Taurasi, Arike Ogunbowale, Jewell Loyd and a host of other W players have a hand in it. Yes, every player, organization and TV network is benefiting from the impact.

“It’s okay to admit that there are better players in the WNBA right now than Caitlin Clark, but she is the most coveted. It’s okay to admit that no team is more watched or has broken more TV viewership and arena attendance records than the Indiana Fever and it’s because of Caitlin Clark. It’s cool to see all of these Women get the fandom they have deserved for a long time. They have put in the work and laid the foundation for a moment like this to happen.

“It’s okay to admit that Caitlin Clark was the catalyst the WNBA needed. If it wasn’t because of Caitlin Clark, it would have happened earlier. Now, let’s enjoy the product on the court and enjoy the eye balls Caitlin Clark has brought to the sport. The bottom line is it will take ALL these talented women to carry the game forward.”

Clark’s impact on the WNBA is unmistakable, much like the effect Tiger Woods had on golf during his heyday—a connection not lost on Griffin III given the spike in viewer numbers whenever Woods was top of his game. The iconic golfer earned himself a storied reputation with five Masters wins, four PGA Championships, three US Opens, and three British Opens, setting an impressive benchmark for Clark to aspire to in her WNBA journey.

Clark is also dipping her toes into the world of golf, showing excitement about participating in the Annika golf event this coming November. About her participation in the anticipated Pro-Am event, Clark said: “I love golf so the opportunity to play in the Pro-Am for a tournament with a legend like Annika Sorenstam’s name on it is so exciting. I’m looking forward to seeing all the LPGA players on the driving range, being part of the Women’s Leadership Summit, and, of course, teeing it up in the pro-am with Annika.”