Zach Johnson humorously queried, “Can my wife hear this? ” when WNBA Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark called him funny at last summer’s John Deere Classic Pro-Am.

The golf pro was paired with the basketball sensation for the event in Silvis, Illinois, where Clark captivated crowds with her performance on the golf course, attracting followers eager to see her swap the hardwood for the fairways.

Clark wasn’t shy about acknowledging Johnson’s sense of humor during their time on the course. Speaking to the press, she said, “First of all, Zach’s pretty funny. I’ll give him that, he’s a pretty funny guy,” Johnson, surprised, quipped, “Really? ! My wife – can she hear that?”

The pair also shared a moment improving Clark’s chipping technique and, during their light-hearted banter, found common ground in their dislike for the transfer portal, which they agreed benefits no one.

Continuing the jests, Clark endorsed Johnson as a supporter, saying, “He’s pretty funny. We worked on my chipping a little bit, leaning more weight on my front foot.”

Reflecting on his own takeaway from the event, Johnson revealed, “We both hate the portal, figured that out. The portal does no one any good.”

Johnson, playing along, proclaimed, “I’m making deals for Caitlin. I figured it out, she’s got at least three years of eligibility left,” prompting Clark to laugh and comment, “He talked to the NCAA.”

Golfer Johnson quipped, “I mean they can’t get anything done anyway so might as well just try to get it done now. Three years left, couple of corporate deals. Shouldn’t be a problem.”

Last year, Johnson wrapped up the John Deere Classic tied for 35th place, boasting a score of -10. Sepp Straka clinched victory with an outstanding -21, leaving Brendon Todd and Alex Smalley trailing by two strokes.

Clark is gearing up for another Pro-Am challenge this winter at the Annika event on the LPGA Tour. The competition, under the aegis of golf icon Annika Sorenstam, is scheduled for November 13-17 at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, drawing an array of talent.

Clark couldn’t hide her enthusiasm: “I love golf so the opportunity to play in the Pro-Am for a tournament with a legend like Annika Sorenstam’s name on it is so exciting.”

She added, “I’m looking forward to seeing all the LPGA players on the driving range, being part of the Women’s Leadership Summit, and, of course, teeing it up in the pro-am with Annika.”

Sorenstam herself expressed anticipation for Clark’s presence: “I have been following Caitlin’s career during college and now on the WNBA stage, and what she is doing to bring attention to women’s sports both on and off the court is outstanding. I’m excited to meet Caitlin and for her to join us at Pelican Golf Club in November in what will be an exciting week for women’s sports.”

Clark had an exceptional debut season with the Indiana Fever this year, smashing numerous WNBA records and earning the title of Rookie of the Year with 66 out of 67 total votes. She averaged 19.2 points per game this season, along with a league-leading 8.4 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game.

The University of Iowa alumna also set new records for assists in a single season (337), a league-high 122 three-pointers becoming the fastest woman in history to surpass the 100 three-pointer mark, recording two triple-doubles and scoring the most points from her position as a point guard in a single season.