The black box sits open, revealing carefully folded Nike apparel. A crisp white hoodie, a black T-shirt, a sleek keychain, and front and center, a bold new logo: two interlocking C’s, the unmistakable stamp of Caitlin Clark’s signature brand finished by three words, “Caitlin was here.” For most, it’s a piece of merchandise. For Nelly Korda, it was more than that. On her Instagram story, the former world No. 1 golfer didn’t need a paragraph, or even a sentence. She tagged Clark and added a single, loaded response: “@caitlinclark22 LFG.”
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“LFG,” shorthand for Let’s f**ing go, is a universal sporting mantra. It’s adrenaline and excitement condensed into three letters. Coming from Korda, it’s also symbolic. Here is golf’s biggest star, a figure who has fought her way to the summit of her own sport, recognizing Clark’s rise and the cultural shift her Nike partnership represents. The message wasn’t just about clothes or logos. It was a nod of respect from one trailblazer to another.
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This wasn’t their first crossover moment either. Back on November 13, during the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Pro-Am, Korda played nine holes alongside Clark and came away genuinely impressed by her game. “(Caitlin is) so sweet, so nice. It was nice to get to spend some time with her. To get to spend some time with her and to see the influence that she has on people, bringing people out here, and to see how amazing of an influence she is for sports, (that) was really cool to see firsthand today,” Nelly Korda said of Caitlin Clark.
Additionally, Caitlin’s love for golf way back, as she has participated in numerous pro-ams, and also has been spotted on the sidelines of PGA Tour tournaments, supporting her favourite players. She had recently extended her support for Tommy Fleetwood and congratulated him over his win in the TOUR Championship.
When Clark signed an eight-year, $28 million endorsement deal with Nike in April 2024, it was more than a contract; it was a milestone. The richest shoe deal in women’s basketball history set a new bar for how female athletes could and should be valued in the marketplace. Clark had been a Nike athlete since 2022, but this latest deal elevated her into rarefied air. For comparison, Sheryl Swoopes, the first WNBA player to have a signature Nike shoe back in 1997, signed a contract worth just $175,000. Clark’s deal is a staggering leap forward, reflecting her star power, her drawing ability, and the fact that women’s basketball is no longer a niche; it’s a movement.
Her first signature shoe is set to launch in 2026. In the meantime, Nike introduced Clark’s official signature logo in August 2025. By October 1, a full apparel line will be dropped, carrying the now-iconic “CC” branding that Nelly Korda proudly showcased in her story. Furthermore, the “Caitlin Clark effect” is already visible. She shattered the NCAA all-time scoring record, carried her impact into the WNBA, and drove league-wide attendance, television ratings, and merchandise sales to record levels. Clark has transformed women’s basketball into must-see TV. And Nike, long criticized for moving slowly on her marketability, is now catching up, betting big on a player whose pull extends far beyond the court.
Clark’s breakthrough with Nike shows how women’s athletes are now stepping beyond their sport into mainstream culture: a space where Nelly Korda herself has been carving her own path.
Beyond Golf: Nelly Korda’s Cultural Icon Status
Clark’s rise is emblematic of how women’s athletes are stepping into mainstream culture. The same pattern is visible in golf, where Nelly Korda has become a cross-industry presence. Her “LFG” for Clark was more than camaraderie: it was a reflection of her own trajectory as a cultural figure. From magazine covers to movie cameos, Korda has steadily expanded her influence off the course, building a presence that mirrors Clark’s cultural momentum in basketball.
Korda has spent 2025 redefining her image beyond the ropes. She appeared in the 2025 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, a platform that reaches millions outside the golfing audience. She also secured a cameo in Happy Gilmore 2, cementing her crossover appeal into pop culture. These steps parallel the way Clark’s Nike partnership pushes basketball into fashion and lifestyle spaces.
Additioanlly, Korda herself had a collaboration with the sports brand for her signature shoes, which will be coming soon. The collaboration represents Nike’s strategic investment in women’s golf after years of focusing primarily on the PGA Tour.
These two incidents are just isolated from various others. Together, they reflect a new era in which women athletes are not only competing at the highest level but shaping conversations, markets, and culture far beyond their sports.
