{"id":259781,"date":"2025-11-13T04:17:10","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T04:17:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/259781\/"},"modified":"2025-11-13T04:17:10","modified_gmt":"2025-11-13T04:17:10","slug":"sophie-cunningham-fires-drunk-fans-warning-as-she-follows-caitlin-clark-into-new-sport-amid-wnba-standoff","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/259781\/","title":{"rendered":"Sophie Cunningham fires &#8216;drunk fans&#8217; warning as she follows Caitlin Clark into new sport amid WNBA standoff"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>With the 2025 WNBA season all wrapped up for another year, Caitlin Clark has turned her hand to another sport to pass the time. <\/p>\n<p>The <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/indiana-fever\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Indiana Fever<\/a> superstar is once again swapping <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">basketball<\/a> for <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/golf\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">golf<\/a> as prepares to make her second consecutive appearance in the Pro-Am for the big LPGA Tour event, The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Caitlin Clark #22 of the Indiana Fever reacts after a three pointer during the first half wam at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on August 16, 2024 in \" height=\"650\" width=\"960\" data-credit=\"Getty\" data-img=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/aaa552bd-7a6c-41b5-8e74-237f298f76b8.jpg\" data-caption=\"Caitlin Clark is one of the faces of the WNBA\"   loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/aaa552bd-7a6c-41b5-8e74-237f298f76b8.jpg\" role=\"img\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>5<\/p>\n<p>Caitlin Clark is one of the faces of the WNBACredit: Getty<a href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Caitlin Clark, professional basketball player, and Nelly Korda of the United States walk off the first tee during a Pro-Am prior to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican 2024 \" height=\"640\" width=\"960\" data-credit=\"Getty\" data-img=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/caitlin-clark-professional-basketball-player-1037985832.jpg\" data-caption=\"Caitlin Clark will be a part of the LPGA golf tournament The ANNIKA, alongside World No. 2 Nelly Korda\"   loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/caitlin-clark-professional-basketball-player-1037985832.jpg\" role=\"img\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>5<\/p>\n<p>Caitlin Clark will be a part of the LPGA golf tournament The ANNIKA, alongside World No. 2 Nelly KordaCredit: Getty<\/p>\n<p>Once again, the 23-year-old <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/wnba\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">WNBA<\/a> figurehead will be playing alongside World No. 2 and three-time The Annika winner, <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/who\/nelly-korda\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Nelly Korda<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>This time, though, <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/who\/caitlin-clark\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Clark<\/a> &#8211; who was also a <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/2893895\/caitlin-clark-patrick-mahomes-kansas-city-current-wnba-nwsl\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">standout soccer star<\/a> before focusing solely on basketball in college &#8211; won&#8217;t be the only Fever star on the course. <\/p>\n<p>That is because two of her teammates in Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull have been announced by the LPGA as Clark&#8217;s celebrity caddies during Wednesday&#8217;s Pro-Am event. <\/p>\n<p>Fever teammates join Clark at Pro-Am golf tournament<\/p>\n<p>Cunningham&#8217;s popularity soared throughout the WNBA season after she went viral on multiple occasions for being <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/3698812\/wnba-cba-sophie-cunningham-fever-contract-demand\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Clark&#8217;s &#8216;enforcer&#8217; on the court<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Rare footage shows WNBA star Caitlin Clark dominating in her High School soccer team<\/p>\n<p>Holding a <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/3299495\/wnba-caitlin-clark-sophie-cunningham-fever-sun-coach-fight\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">black belt in Taekwondo<\/a>, and boasting over 1.3 million followers on Instagram and 1.6 million followers on TikTok, with the combination of Cunningham and Clark, the LPGA tournament are hoping it translates into drawing large crowds to the event. <\/p>\n<p>For the fiery 29-year-old, she is hoping that her trip to Belleair, Florida for the Annika &#8211; named after World Golf Hall of Famer Annika S\u00f6renstam &#8211; is not too formal as she wants to make use of the opportunity to enjoy some offseason fun with her Fever teammates.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHopefully they\u2019re not too serious, because I\u2019ll get kicked out of the group,\u201d Cunningham said on her <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=JFhWPeXOJ-c\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"Show Me Something podcast (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\">Show Me Something podcast<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cI also found out I don\u2019t have to carry any bags. So I\u2019m gonna be carrying a lot of beers,\u201d she joked before going on to say, &#8220;I didn&#8217;t know I had to wear a vest, so that&#8217;s gonna kind of ruin my outfit.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Maybe I&#8217;ll just sign it [the vest] and throw it into the crowd so I don&#8217;t have to wear it,&#8221; she added with a smirk. <\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere\u2019ll be a lot of drunk dudes yelling at you,\u201d her co-host West Wilson teased her.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\" Guard Lexie Hull #10, guard Caitlin Clark #22 and guard Sophie Cunningham #8 of the Indiana Fever sit on the bench \" height=\"692\" width=\"960\" data-credit=\"Getty\" data-img=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/3ffab665-e345-4f0f-aac8-4e1acb0fe1de_a2c8a0.jpg\" data-caption=\"Lexie Hull (L) and Sophie Cunningham (R) have been named as celebrity caddies for Clark at The ANNIKA, with Cunningham admitting she is only there to have a good time\"   loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/3ffab665-e345-4f0f-aac8-4e1acb0fe1de_a2c8a0.jpg\" role=\"img\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>5<\/p>\n<p>Lexie Hull (L) and Sophie Cunningham (R) have been named as celebrity caddies for Clark at The ANNIKA, with Cunningham admitting she is only there to have a good timeCredit: Getty<a href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"WNBA player Caitlin Clark plays during the Pro-Am \" height=\"663\" width=\"960\" data-credit=\"Getty\" data-img=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/wnba-player-caitlin-clark-plays-1037985895.jpg\" data-caption=\"This will be Clark's second consecutive year featuring in the LPGA Pro-Am tournament\"   loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/wnba-player-caitlin-clark-plays-1037985895.jpg\" role=\"img\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>5<\/p>\n<p>This will be Clark&#8217;s second consecutive year featuring in the LPGA Pro-Am tournamentCredit: Getty<\/p>\n<p>Cunningham clapped back almost immediately saying, \u201cWell, there\u2019ll be a drunk female yelling back, me! &#8230;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI don\u2019t really know how I even got invited to an event like this, but I\u2019m really excited. Caitlin will be golfing, and me and Lexie will be having a great time.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>Clark, Cunningham and Hull are part of the team representing Indianapolis-based financial platform Gainbridge, who hold the naming rights to the Gainbridge Fieldhouse where they stage their home games, alongside the <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/nba\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NBA<\/a>&#8216;s <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/indiana-pacers\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Indiana Pacers<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p>Other names in the star-powered field for the tournament at the Pelican Golf Club also includes <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/topic\/nascar\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NASCAR<\/a> driver Carson Hocevar and US Soccer Hall of Famer Brianna Scurry.<\/p>\n<p>Last year, Clark admitted that her number one priority for her inaugural Pro-Am experience was to not <a href=\"https:\/\/www.golfmonthly.com\/news\/watch-caitlin-clark-the-annika-pro-am\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\"&quot;hit anyone with the ball&quot;, (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;hit anyone with the ball&#8221;,<\/a> which she almost did at the third tee. <\/p>\n<p>Tension and uncertainty mounts amid WNBA standoff over CBA negotiations<\/p>\n<p>The Pro-Am will be the first time since July 15 that fans will get to see Clark in action after the former Rookie of the Year missed the majority of the 2025 WNBA season <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/3530024\/wnba-caitlin-clark-injury-indiana-fever-season-playoffs\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">due to injury<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Having made just 13 appearances, the former Iowa standout averaged 16.5 points from 36.7 percent shooting from the field, 5.0 rebounds, 8.8 assists, and 1.6 steals as the Fever reached the WNBA playoff semifinals in her absence.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"#\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Cathy Engelbert and Napheesa Collier take a picture after the 2025 WNBA All-Star game\" height=\"640\" width=\"960\" data-credit=\"Getty\" data-img=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/user-expressly-acknowledges-agrees-downloading-1011225817.jpg\" data-caption=\"Napheesa Collier unleashed a scathing attack on Cathy Engelbert's leadership as WNBA Commissioner amid ongoing CBA negotiations\"   loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/user-expressly-acknowledges-agrees-downloading-1011225817.jpg\" role=\"img\"\/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>5<\/p>\n<p>Napheesa Collier unleashed a scathing attack on Cathy Engelbert&#8217;s leadership as WNBA Commissioner amid ongoing CBA negotiationsCredit: Getty<\/p>\n<p>Whilst Clark is expected to be fully healthy to return in 2026, whether the regular season will actually get underway is another story altogether. <\/p>\n<p>This comes amid the ongoing standoff from the WNBA over the <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/3604183\/wnba-angel-reese-sophie-cunningham-contracts-commissioner\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)<\/a> negotiations, with players &#8211; spearheaded by <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/us\/3603692\/napheesa-collier-caitlin-clark-wnba-angel-reese-cathy-engelbert\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Minnesota Lynx superstar Napheesa Collier<\/a> &#8211; standing pat on their argument that the current CBA is <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/2999119\/wnba-strike-angel-reese-cba-caitlin-clark-contract\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">no longer fit for purpose<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Due to the huge surge in viewership and interest in the sport, the players are arguing for salaries that <a aria-label=\"&quot;financially recognizes players&#039; contributions&quot; (opens in a new tab)\" href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/athletic\/6740675\/2025\/10\/23\/wnba-cba-players-union-deal-negotiations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\">&#8220;financially recognizes players&#8217; contributions&#8221;<\/a> to the WNBA, but with the October 30 deadline having already passed &#8211; and the 30-day extension almost over &#8211; a possible 2026 season lockout looms large.<\/p>\n<p>Furthermore, the <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/3714505\/caitlin-clark-indiana-fever-wnba-project-b-cathy-engelbert\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">WNBA&#8217;s crisis continues to grow<\/a> as it also faces competition from the likes of <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/2228605\/unrivaled-womens-basketball-caitlin-clark-angel-reese-wnba-fever\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Unrivaled<\/a> and a brand new rival league currently <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/3720937\/caitlin-clark-unrivaled-wnba-project-b-cathy-engelbert-lpga\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">known as &#8216;Project B&#8217;<\/a>, which is set to debut in November 2026.<\/p>\n<p>Project B is hoping to lure in some of the biggest names in basketball, with former MVP Nneka Ogwumike already having signed a contract as salaries are tipped to begin at $2 million annually, <a href=\"https:\/\/talksport.com\/basketball\/3117356\/wnba-draft-rookies-salaries-contracts-angel-reese-caitlin-clark\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">trumping the WNBA&#8217;s current salary structure<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p>Stay up to date with the latest from\u00a0the WNBA across all platforms &#8211; follow our dedicated\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/profile.php?id=61571480857518\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">talkSPORT USA Facebook page<\/a>\u00a0and subscribe to our\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@talkSPORTUSA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">talkSPORT USA YouTube channel<\/a>\u00a0for all the offseason news, interviews and more.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With the 2025 WNBA season all wrapped up for another year, Caitlin Clark has turned her hand to&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":259782,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[107557,107546,107544,61925,107548,107549,107558,107541,107542,107543,5904,61921,107540,107539,107550,36279,107547,107560,107561,2834,14246,107567,107568,13401,14667,8693,107564,107565,107538,107552,107551,101,107545,56,54,55,107562,107563,107569,107566,63323,107555,107536,107553,107554,107559,107556,37735,107537],"class_list":["post-259781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-golf","tag-2026-wnba-lockout","tag-annika-golf","tag-annika-sorrenstam","tag-caitlin-clark","tag-caitlin-clark-golf","tag-caitlin-clark-lexie-hull","tag-caitlin-clark-nelly-korda-golf","tag-gainbridge","tag-gainbridge-fieldhouse","tag-gainbridge-fieldhouse-fever","tag-golf","tag-indiana-fever","tag-indiana-pacers","tag-lexie-hull","tag-lexie-hull-fever","tag-lpga","tag-lpga-golf","tag-napheesa-collier","tag-napheesa-collier-unrivaled","tag-nba","tag-nelly-korda","tag-nneka-ogwumike","tag-nneka-ogwumike-project-b","tag-pga","tag-pga-golf","tag-pga-tour","tag-project-b-basketball","tag-project-b-womens-basketball","tag-sophie-cunningham","tag-sophie-cunningham-caitlin-clark","tag-sophie-cunningham-fever","tag-sports","tag-the-annika","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom","tag-unrivaled","tag-unrivaled-basketball","tag-unrivaled-salaries","tag-unrivaled-womens-basketball","tag-wnba","tag-wnba-2026-season","tag-wnba-basketball","tag-wnba-cba","tag-wnba-cba-negotiations","tag-wnba-commissioner","tag-wnba-lockout","tag-womens-sports","tag-womens-basketball"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=259781"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/259781\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/259782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=259781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=259781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=259781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}