Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark has already become one of the most influential athletes in America, but her latest move may be the most shocking curveball of her career — and it has nothing to do with basketball. After a tough second WNBA season marked by injuries, Clark made a full recovery and returned to the fairway at The Annika Pro-Am for the second year in a row, reaffirming what fans have known for a while now: she’s got a real obsession with golf.
She’s been spotted at the Masters, she’s hitting courses all offseason, and she’s competing alongside legends like Annika Sorenstam. But Thursday afternoon, the stakes hit a level nobody saw coming.
Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy — never one to shy away from outlandish announcements — revealed that Clark has officially committed to next year’s Internet Invitational, the viral tournament blending golf, chaos, trash talk, and internet celebrities. Then he detonated the headline heard around the sports world:
“I’d like to do a $10 million pool next year,” Portnoy said.
“I’ve invited two people so far. They both said yes. Caitlin said yes. Kai Trump said yes.”
Ten. Million. Dollars.
A ridiculous jump from the $1 million purse last year’s event offered. It’s not just a step up — it’s a moon landing.
Portnoy admitted that availability could still depend on schedules, but that didn’t stop the explosion of reactions online. With Caitlin Clark locked in — the WNBA’s golden draw, the face of women’s basketball, the athlete who melts TV ratings everywhere she appears — the Internet Invitational just vaulted from a niche YouTube series into a mainstream sports attraction.
And the timing couldn’t be better.
This year’s Internet Invitational, created in partnership with Bob Does Sports, already became a runaway hit. Released months after filming, the multi-episode tournament spanned roughly 14 hours of content and featured a wild cast of influencers, scratch golfers, hackers, and internet personalities. Fans got hooked instantly — drama, comedy, meltdowns, clutch shots, and everything in between.
Golf Digest writer Shane Ryan even called it “one of the most entertaining golf products ever made,” adding that it was “psychologically riveting, laugh-out-loud funny, and wildly dramatic all the way to the final hole.”
Now imagine all of that… but with Caitlin Clark in the mix.
Her competitiveness.
Her star power.
Her ability to light up any broadcast she touches.
And a $10 million purse sitting in the middle of it all like a live grenade.
Clark’s growing presence in the golf world isn’t just a hobby — it’s becoming a second arena where she’s building influence. With the WNBA offseason in full swing, she’s already making headlines for her NFL fandom, her offseason moves, and now a potential golf showdown that feels too big to ignore.
Portnoy knows exactly what he’s doing.
Clark knows exactly what she brings.
And fans know one thing: they’re going to watch.
If this becomes official, next year’s Internet Invitational won’t just be a tournament — it’ll be the biggest offseason event in women’s sports, influencer media, and golf entertainment.
Caitlin Clark competing for $10 million?
Yeah. The internet is absolutely going to melt.
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