Caitlin Clark worried that the hurricane would hinder her participation in the golf tournament.

Caitlin Clark, a renowned women's basketball player, will participate in a LPGA pro-am golf tournament on Wednesday, despite her initial fear that the event would be canceled due to Hurricane Milton's devastation last month.

The LPGA Tour at The Annika in Florida was in jeopardy due to Clark's concerns about the hurricane potentially destroying the Pelican Golf Club course, which could have resulted in the entire event being cancelled.

"I texted a few people who helped me with my stuff, and I was like ‘oh my God, is everything going to be okay? Are we going to be able to still play?' Because I've been looking forward to this for so long," Clark said. "We had our fingers crossed. But I feel very fortunate and thankful for everybody who has put in a lot of hard work to make this course really great and special."

Clark mentioned that her family in the Saint Petersburg area added to her concern about the hurricane's damage in Florida.

Clark stated that he has a significant number of family members residing in the Saint Petersburg region, hence he has been closely monitoring the area.

The hurricane caused significant damage to the golf course in Belleair, Florida, with much of the green being flooded. The club lost approximately 20 to 25 substantial trees due to the 100 mph winds that tore through the state. The area received an estimated 15 to 20 inches of rain.

On Oct. 16, the Director of Golf/COO of the club, Justin Sheehan, informed reporters that the hurricane caused the 13th hole to be flooded from 100 yards out, including the green. Additionally, the 16th green and half of the 10th were also underwater.

"According to Golf Week, Sheehan stated that there were towering piles of pine straw, reaching 4 feet high, on the course. The bunker on No. 3 was completely filled with pine straw, making it impossible to see any sand in it."

The grounds crew of the course worked diligently to restore order, knowing that the presence of Clark at the event would greatly benefit the club and the sport of women's golf.

To ensure that the course they would play on Wednesday, alongside partner Nelly Korda, would not be affected by the hurricane that devastated it, they made sure to get the course in order.

""I am strong and capable of hitting it, but it doesn't always go straight. Sometimes it does, but it's unpredictable. I just hope for the best when I step up to the tee. My top priority is not to hurt anyone with a golf ball," Clark stated about her golfing skills."

Clark is competing in a pro-am at a professional event for the second time. She played in one at the PGA Tour's 2023 John Deere Classic in Silvis, Illinois, while still a college student at Iowa. She was paired with Ludvig Aberg on the front nine and Zach Johnson on the back nine.

"Clark admitted that he was nervous and likely to be so tomorrow as well. Despite reminding himself that it didn't really matter, he didn't play golf for a living."

Gainbridge, an ambassador with Clark, holds the naming rights for the Fever and Indiana Pacers’ arena and is the presenting sponsor of the LPGA Event.

Golf Channel's "Golf Today" program will provide live look-ins and a walk-and-talk with Clark will be streamed, according to Front Office Sports. Her warmup session on the driving range is expected to be live-streamed on social media, which has already led to an increase in ticket sales for the pro-am.

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