When Annika Sorenstam was 22, she was finishing a successful college career at Arizona and turning professional, just beginning what would be a historic career that would end with 97 professional victories and 10 LPGA majors.

32 years later, Sorenstam sits next to 22-year-old Caitlin Clark at the Annika Women’s Leadership Summit – two very different women but also sharing similarities as some of the world’s best athletes and trailblazers in women’s sports.

In 2024 alone, Clark, who is currently one of the most popular athletes in America, led Iowa to a second straight NCAA runner-up finish, was drafted first overall by the Indiana Fever and quickly enjoyed a historic rookie season in the WNBA. acclimating to the pros and continuing her path as a dominant scorer and passer. In her first season, she set a WNBA record with 19 assists in a game, became the first WNBA rookie to record a triple-double, and won WNBA Rookie of the Year.

One of the things Clark and Sorenstam have in common is their Why – their motivation – and no, their goal was not to become pioneers and inspirations. They just wanted to be the best at what they were most passionate about.

For Clark, she played many different sports, including golf, before taking up basketball in high school.

“I wanted to practice, and I think that’s what was different,” Clark said Tuesday at The Annika, an LPGA event hosted by the golf legend. “I wanted to improve. I wanted to spend time working on my game. And that’s probably what set (basketball) apart from all the other sports I was playing – (the other sports) were just kind of having fun with my friends .

Clark was always competitive, no matter what sport she played, but she didn’t take extra time to work on her game or truly desire to be better than everyone else – until she focused on basketball.

How to Watch Caitlin Clark at the LPGA Annika Event Pro-Am

The WNBA superstar is scheduled to compete in Wednesday’s pro-am at The Annika.

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“I think it was just the drive that I had of wanting to get better – I just love practicing it, and I think sometimes it’s not something that everyone really likes to do or wants to do or is passionate about something he loves.

Wanting to train and put in the hours, enjoying the process, is what told Clark she wanted to have a future in basketball. She was simply motivated by “wanting to be the best”.

In Sweden, a few decades earlier, Sorenstam had tried skiing, tennis (inspired by Bjorn Borg) and “every (other) sport except basketball.”

With golf, Sorenstam was motivated by the challenge: the difficulty of the sport, especially with so many variables.

“Whether you’re working on your drive, your irons, your approach shots, your putting or your chipping, there are so many different shots and they’re so different every day – different on grass, lie, wind, everything is so different. » said Sorenstam. “And I love the challenge of trying to succeed.”

A bonus for the more shy Sorenstam as he gets older: golf is “very peaceful most of the time.”

These are two athletes who found their calling and overcame all obstacles to make it big, but they are humble, both within and outside of their field of expertise.

While Clark “usually just prays to get to 100” in golf, Sorenstam says 3-point shots weren’t really his thing — something Clark lamented about course star Sorenstam. This encapsulates another common thread between the two: humility and respect.

With all eyes on them, it might be easy to get big heads, but Clark and Sorenstam pride themselves on staying true despite the accolades and fame.

“Obviously life has changed a lot, but I’m trying to live the exact same way I did when I first got to college and I showed up on campus and I’m trying to be the same authentic person that I am,” Clark said. “For me, it feels like I’m living in a dream, but also, at the same time, it’s special – I try not to let it pass.”

Both women are inspired by the next generation, the young women and girls at events, those who can be the future of their respective games and beyond.

“I know a lot of women who stopped playing sports and are now in leadership positions,” Sorenstam said, adding, “I think everyone talks about the effect we have on them, but also, they have the same effect on us.

“That’s why you play,” Clark added. “It’s not because of the wins and points you score; it’s the amount of joy you can bring to people and young girls who will one day grow up and hopefully become who they want to be.

Sixteen years after her retirement, Sorenstam may no longer devote herself full-time to winning tournaments, but she certainly still has a reason to continue to be a force in golf. This is also his greatest fear: “Waking up and not having a goal would be terrible. »

What seems to distinguish generational talents from others is not only their abilities, but also what they do with those gifts – the choices they make.

“(Caitlin) just started her golf game, if you know (what I mean), her golf course,” Sorenstam said. “She just teeed off on hole one or two. I’ve already done the tour.

If Sorenstam has accomplished so much since the age of 22, it’s mind-boggling to think of what lies ahead for the young Clark, especially at a time when women’s sports are booming.

Imagine who she will pave the way for in 30 years.