THE ANNIKA DRIVEN BY GAINBRIDGE AT PELICAN

November 12, 2024

Annika Sorenstam

Caitlin Clark

Kathy Ireland

Pelican Golf Club

Press Conference

LAUREN THOMPSON: (In progress.) Miss 59 is one of them. World Golf Hall of Famer, ten time major champion. Also the tournament namesake for this week's LPGA Tour stop.

Annika is a sports icon and joining her is another icon in the making, paving her own path. Take a look at this video. (Applause.)

It's about that time to welcome both Annika Sorenstam and Caitlin Clark. Come on up. (Applause.)

Annika, get your thoughts first as everyone settles in right now. I love the excitement in the room. The vibe all morning has been great and want to keep that going. Annika will be playing in the pro-am tomorrow and Caitlin. What are your thoughts of having Caitlin here at The Annika?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It's amazing. What can I say? Thank you for coming. I'm sure you're getting pulled left and right. Thanks for coming our way. It just elevates this event in so many ways. What Caitlin has done not just on the court in general for women and girls in sport is such an inspiration and motivation.

Yeah, I really look forward to seeing your game tomorrow.

CAITLIN CLARK: Oh, gosh.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: No pressure.

CAITLIN CLARK: I don't know what I signed up for. (Laughter.)

LAUREN THOMPSON: You're playing with the best there is. If nothing else happens, you're going to get the best...

CAITLIN CLARK: Free lessons. That's how I'm looking at it. Pull my phone out and record every single one of her swings.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Caitlin, you are paving such an incredible path in sports right now. Every single person in this room can't wait to hear your perspective. Of course, the celebrations and the accolades, but also what it took to get there. What made you want to say yes to this invitation to be a part of our Women's Leadership Summit?

CAITLIN CLARK: Well, first of all I love golf and being around it. I think it's so cool and special and I grew up playing golf. Obviously Annika, a legend in this game. Like for me this is just fun. It's cool. This isn't a job to me. This is an honor. I'm just really excited to be here and be a part of it.

That's why I love doing these type of things. This is what I'm really passionate about. I'm passionate about women's sports. For me it's fun. People think basketball is a job. No. I feel like I should find a job in the off-season. I get to play basketball every single day and I know there is a lot of people that would kill to do that.

I just feel very fortunate. When they asked me to come down here, I was like, yeah, I can get away from the Indianapolis cold. I get to play golf with some of the best. This is amazing. Sign me up.

LAUREN THOMPSON: It's hot out.

CAITLIN CLARK: It is. I forgot how sticky it is here. That was one thing. I got off the plane I was and I was, oh.

But I'm excited.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Annika, to be a trailblazer, you have lived this story. It takes guts and it's not easy. When you initially started realizing your power, you had your own apprehensions. What helped you step into the role as a leader and icon ultimately?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: What Caitlin said, I love what I do. I love the game of golf. Growing up in Sweden playing a sport that I loved it just kind of happened. I feel so lucky to have my hobby as a job. You learn things along the way. If you play the game of golf, you know, it's very similar to life. There is a lot of synergy and things I've learned on the course, on the links, has taken over in my life.

So it's very parallel in that sense. The sport is humbling and life is too. We learn a lot. I've just kind of taken that, what I learned there, implementing it in my life. It's like anything, everybody's journey is not a straight line. It's been an S turn, especially being a shy girl to start out.

Winning golf tournaments was not something I wanted to do. I wanted to win, but I was afraid of giving a winning speech so I would miss on purpose. Which sounds funny, but you overcome the fear you have.

And I know Caitlin, you've had obviously an amazing career. It's not been a straight line for you either. I think you just have to be true to yourself and what you believe and thinking long-term that this is my career, but I'm doing something good for others.

So it does pay off. Anything in life that you put in, as we all know, the more the want something the harder it is. It's motivating to keep going.

LAUREN THOMPSON: With the projection of Caitlin's career already, seeing any possible parallels between your paths?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't know. At this point I'm just admiring that she's here. You know, but I think at the end of the day, we're both human beings and just like many of you in here you have a passion for something, whether it's your family or work or just friends, you know, your faith.

I think we're trying to do the best we can and make the most out of it. I don't know what questions you have Lauren, but I do want to say thank you to Gainbridge for giving us this opportunity. They are really helping women's sports. And we have Dan and Cassidy and the Doyle Family.

You know, this wouldn't be possible without them, so I just want to throw that out there. They're great role models in a lot of ways in what they do. We feel very fortunate to do what we love. You know, never taking anything for granted.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Caitlin, you're a grade school letter to yourself, your dreams letter, everybody talks about this. How school is that that a very young girl, second, third grade girls - I've heard two different takes on it. Was it second or third?

CAITLIN CLARK: I have no idea. The media just makes up anything they want.

LAUREN THOMPSON: To put that out there and have that confidence and that sort of determination at that age, how did that unravel?

CAITLIN CLARK: It's cool looking back. I'm thankful for my mom for saving that kind of stuff. It kind of paid off. It's just cool looking back.

I grew up playing sports with the boys and I always had this dream of wanting to do something really special. My parents never held me back or told me you can't do that, you can't do this. They let me go and try and I failed plenty of times and there was a lot of days I was upset.

I think that has made success or when I accomplish things that much better. I'm very fortunate and have been driven in that way. You always have goals or something you want to achieve.

The things I get to do now have probably exceeded everything I ever dreamed of. I know I wrote on that paper, too, win the lottery. Fingers are still crossed for the lottery.

LAUREN THOMPSON: You played a lot of sports. Why did you settle on basketball? Why was that the one you wanted to do?

CAITLIN CLARK: I grew up playing literally everything and I was super competitive. My parents just tossed me out there and wanted me to get my energy out. Whether it was soccer, softball, golf, track, I really did it all. When I got into high school I knew basketball was my future. I loved it and I wanted to practice it.

I think that was different. I wanted to get better. I wanted to spend time working on my game. That was probably what set that apart from all the other sports I played. They were just kind of like for fun with my friends. I was really competitive, but I didn't take extra time out of my day to go work on my game and be better than everybody else.

I think that's what helped figure out the path I wanted to take. Like I remember in high school I played soccer and I was on varsity and I loved it. But my teammates would get mad because I would go and practice and work out and do basketball right before we had our soccer games.

They like couldn't believe I was doing that. I had to give up soccer even though I loved it. It was just the will I had to want to get better at it. I loved practicing it, and at times that's not something everybody really likes to do or want to do or is so passionate about, something they love.

That's what told me I wanted to have a future in that.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Annika knows about that. You grew up in a family that loved sports: Skiing; tennis was actually your first competitive sport that you played. Then you and your sister both decided on golf. What was it about golf?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, good question. It's tough. It's challenging. Every day is so different. I think I tried everything but basketball.

CAITLIN CLARK: You could have been a star. We don't even know.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Didn't really have the height for it. Three pointers was not really my thing.

I played soccer too. You said tennis. That was really my love. Growing up in Sweden it was Bjorn Borg, national hero, and I tried everything he did; but it didn't work out.

But golf was something I kind of was right there and I think the more I played I just enjoyed the sport very much. It was hard. Whether you work on your driving or irons or approach shots or putting or chipping, there are so many different shots and they're so different every day, different on the grass, the lie, the wind; everything is so different.

I just loved the challenge of trying to hit it. There is nothing better than being out in a late afternoon and just hitting ball after ball. It's just very peaceful most of the time.

But I think, I don't know, I'm just so lucky to have found a sport that I love so much. As you know, golf is something you can do your whole life a with your friends and family. It's coming into the next generation in my family. My husband, Mike, is here. His dad played on TOUR and now our son is very much into it. Obviously it's the glue that put the family together. It's really cool.

LAUREN THOMPSON: That is cool. The game of golf is extremely lucky that you did chose golf as your profession. You've been an absolute gift that just keeps giving. Looking at your titles: 97 professional titles overall; ten majors. We've got to go back to what you alluded to earlier, making mistakes on purpose.

Not because you didn't want to win, but because the microphone in your face afterwards.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, no, I don't really feel too comfortable. I would rather have a golf club my hand. You're right, growing up being very shy, really didn't raise my hand in school to answer questions. I thought if I was wrong everybody would laugh at me. I thought it was better to be quiet.

In junior golf if you play well in Sweden they want you to give some winning remarks. I was terrified for that, even though at club level, I would miss a little bit on purpose. A little extra putt or maybe leave it in the bunker and I would finish second or third. Still get a prize but I don't have to say anything.

So you can imagine on the way home, it would eat inside of me. I'm probably equally as competitive as you, Caitlin. I would like to win at anything at any time. And then my parents, they were obviously wondering what's happening with their girl. Why is she messing up in the end.

They had a little plan. The next tournament I played in they wanted everybody to say something. They said, we would like to hear from you, Annika? I said, I didn't win. They said, we know, but we would like to hear from you. You can imagine my heart was like a cartoon character. It was just bouncing, bouncing and eventually I said something.

Then I realized you know what? That wasn't that bad. That's the turnaround. I keep telling everybody all the time we got to face our fear. That's one of the fears I had. I still have a few more. In life we kind of hopefully work through them and get better at what we do.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Okay. Caitlin, you have stepped into a leadership role, no doubt, making so much noise in basketball overall, but certainly with the WNBA, and the numbers speak for themselves. What does the word "leadership" mean to you on and off the court?

CAITLIN CLARK: It's something that is super powerful and makes me think of amazing leaders that I have had in my life, whether it was from a very young age or college career or professionally.

I feel like I've been lucky enough to be around a lot of really good leaders and they've taught me a lot of things. I'm only 22 years old so still figuring that out for myself.

But I think the thing about leadership is how you approach every single person is going to be completely different. I think the thing that's helped me be successful throughout my career has been the relationships that I've been able to build with people. Every person you have to approach different because they come from a different background, place. Somebody can be a little bit more tenderhearted. Forme, I probably want to be screamed at. Everybody is a little bit different.

I think that's what unique about leadership and being able to understand people. But that takes time, and building relationships is really important. I think that's what allowed the teams I've been on to be successful. We always put a priority on having great relationships with teammates or with coaches. I think that can carry you a long way.

LAUREN THOMPSON: I want to get both your thoughts on this next question. Caitlin, start with you. What do you love and perhaps hate about someone who's accomplishing a lot of firsts and being a trailblazer?

CAITLIN CLARK: Oh, gosh. I think it's -- the hard part of it is that it is the first time so there is not many people to turn to for advice. You're navigating this and trying to figure it out for yourself. At the same time, there is so many amazing things about it and you would never change it for the world.

I think you get to experience so many different and cool things. Obviously myself as somebody that grew up loving sports, whatever it was, I wanted to watch it on TV. Now I get to live that out. It's pretty special.

I think you go with the flow, and sometimes that's hard because I like having a set plan and routine. It's definitely fun and a big honor.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, I guess I never really think about those things. Just kind of go about the work ahead or the mission ahead or the goals. I'm very goal driven. I like to achieve things and like to push myself and see how good I can be at something. Just always thought reaching my full potential has been the goal.

I think a lot of people compare with others and it's hard. We're all individuals and we all have our potentials and strengths and weaknesses. Always just trying to be a better person and see where that takes me.

I guess I don't settle for little things. I see how far I can get. I always tell the young girls that we work with in The ANNIKA Foundation, you can set the bar high, and a lot of the girls are afraid to set the bar high because in case they don't get there they feel like it's a failure.

If you set the bar up here maybe you don't get here, but you got further than you started. I've never been afraid to set the bar high and keep pushing. That's what motivates me and gets me up in the morning, what can I do today that I didn't do yesterday?

I guess I don't really look at it the way that you maybe talk about trailblazers. I kind of go with the flow. Never stop, right? Never stop. Just keep on going.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Go with the flow so much that that's a part of the World Golf Hall of Fame. If you talk about any sort of the wins, everyone wants to be compared to Annika, and no one is, be cause we are here at The ANNIKA, LPGA Tour stop.

You found a way to own this role in the golf industry. That's not without any challenges. What have you said to yourself maybe just perhaps in between the ears that have tried to discredit you along the way?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I think that just goes with the territory. I don't take it necessarily personally. We all have our lives and what we want to achieve. If you listen to all the naysayers you go nowhere, right? Kind of like Caitlin said, her parents said you can do pretty much anything. My mom said I can do anything but not everything.

You never know if you don't try.

But I do want to say I have a great team that has been around me, supported me, and helped me. I know we have some foundation staff in this room. My husband has been instrumental. It's his birthday today, by the way.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Where are you, Mike? (Applause.)

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: He's only 50.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Mike, stand up quick and give everybody a wave. Mike is so instrumental in everything Annika does. It's his 50th birthday.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, but I think when I stepped away in 2008, I was very happy with my career, but I knew it wouldn't be the end of it. I wanted to continue in the sport. Starting The ANNIKA Foundation was a big inspiration for me to continue my legacy and also women's golf and take the women's sport to a different level.

It's been really rewarding. This week we have 79 of all the players this week have played in one or more of The ANNIKA tournaments. It's just coming to full circle with all the partners here to be able to put this together and see the younger generation coming up and playing and showing how strong the sport is. So that motivates and inspires me.

I don't know, it's just fun to see what we can do. Ladies in this room, please know that you're part of this. Please know you're making this tournament better and all the things you do in your community and companies, it's very valuable.

So just remember that. Everybody has a role and purpose. So thank you.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Well said. Got to circle back to the theme of the day: Self-made. What does that mean to you Caitlin?

CAITLIN CLARK: For myself, it goes to what she's been talking about. You have to try. That's only way to figure out if you can achieve something. I liked how she talked about setting the bar high. I feel like that's what I tried to do my entire life, have goals and achieve them and surround yourself with really good people that will push you to achieve that.

You can't do everything by yourself. You can be driven, motivated, and want something, but you have to have right people around you to help push to you get there.

That's what it means to me. I feel like I'm still doing that to this day. I try to be driven. Every morning when I wake up, what do I want to accomplish today.

I get motivated by knowing other people are working probably just as hard. You don't want to let anybody out-work you. That's what I love about the sport and being competitive.

Everything I do outside the basketball, it's the same way.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Let's touch on that. Waking up the in morning, your routine, how do you set yourself up for success? Is there a process?

CAITLIN CLARK: Gosh, now that I'm not in-season I try to plan my week out before I start the week, like ever Sunday. I think that helps me know exactly what I have to get done, when I'm going to get my workouts in. I am somebody I need to know when I'm going to work out, whether that's basketball, weight lifting, this or that.

That's super important to me and I need to have that part of it planned out. That's how I've been able to stay driven and know what I need to accomplish. Just planning even a day or week in advance, and that's helped me stick to a routine.

I feel accomplished and I know I'm getting better. I know I'm accomplishing the things I want to accomplish. I sit down and use pen and paper and write it out. I don't even type in my notes. That's just how I do things. I feel good and know exactly what I have to get done.

Once you accomplish those things you feel like you're in a good place.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Then you can cross it off.

CAITLIN CLARK: Exactly.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Annika, I know you're an organized person. I've been to your house. I've seen the trophy case. You're very methodical in what you do. When you were competing and out there and getting ready for any tournament or any team event even, was there a process for you?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Definitely. I mean, I think there needs to be. There is so much happening on the course, off the course. A lot of balls in the air you got to juggle. It's important to have time management for me. Same thing, I want to make sure it's scheduled and have time for this and time this and have time for yourself.

There is not a lot of waste of time, let's put it that way. You don't have time to waste time. You got to keep on going. For me it was a way to be able to handle pressure, something big going on that maybe you feel uncomfortable, knowing that things are in order.

I'm not too fond of surprises really. You adapt, but it's still I like to know what's going to happen. I think it was a way to deal with what's coming up and being comfortable where you are. But routines, I mean, in golf I think is really important with routines. I'm sure you have yours too with work out and practice.

In golf, just knowing what to do. That's how I deal with the stress and the press and everything that comes with it. It's kind of fun. I think now when I don't play as much I miss some of that. That's something we've done for so long. I try to channel it in other areas.

I like to be structured. Being a mom you want to share that with your family and teach your kids early on that -- I tell my kids the same thing. You can do anything but not everything. So teaching them routines.

I guess it's the role we have. Just kind of want to share it and help them achieve what they need to achieve.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Absolutely. One of the coolest things for both of you personally in each of your careers has got to be seeing young females out at the events. Little girls ultimately who are shaping who they want to be, what they can accomplish. That's got to be an exciting, rewarding part of your career. Who inspires you in women's sports today?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, today I would say it's the young players in our foundation. You know, we have over 900 that participate in our events around the world every year. They were very inspiring, because I see just what you said, next generation. You see what the sport can bring to them and how it elevates them. If you know young girls today there is so much going on, so much noise around them, whether it's technology or school, a lot of distractions6.

To really see these young girls give them encouragement and the confidence and empower them, you know, we have nine -- (lights went out.)

LAUREN THOMPSON: Setting the mood in the room right now.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Is that a hint? You know, we have nine global tournaments and so I get to see the next generation, and that inspires me to continue to work with them. I think sport is so important for young women, for the things I mentioned. I know a lot of women that move on from playing sports are now in C Suites. I'm sure many of them are here. It's a powerful thing.

It teaches so much about not just work ethic, bu discipline. Yeah, obviously sports is the way to go.

CAITLIN CLARK: Absolutely. And I would say the same thing. The young girls at our games screaming and having the time of their lives, a lot of them when you go up to them just start crying. It's cute.

Also I was just in their shoes however many years ago. I was begging my dad or my mom to take me to whatever sporting event it was and I was screaming and I wanted to meet the players, whether they were on the high school team or the pros or in college.

It was so impactful. I loved -- I wanted to be who they were. I think everybody talks about the effect we have on them; also they have the same effect on us. That's what's really cool about it, is to see how much joy it really brings them and brings their families.

That one game where they spend two hours of their whole entire year has an impact on they're entire childhood. I think that's really cool to think about. That's the reason you play.

It's not because of the wins and points you score. It's the joy you can bring people and the young girls that will one day grow up to be whatever they want to be and get to talk about those moments, too.

LAUREN THOMPSON: It's not just the girls. I can tell you personally. Short story. My nephew happened it to see you Christmastime at a Broadway play. He almost had a heart attack.

It's not just inspiring young girls.

CAITLIN CLARK: Absolutely.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Let's talk golf. You said in the offseason you were going to focus on golf.

CAITLIN CLARK: That was a joke and now everyone thinks I'm such a good golfer. I set myself up for failure with that.

LAUREN THOMPSON: I figured it was a joke. But you got a good swing and you're not new to the game.

CAITLIN CLARK: Well I'm strong and I can hit it. Just doesn't usually go straight. Depends. You just step up there and hope for the best. No, it's fun. It's so much different than basketball. That's why I love it. It's individual. It's a challenge. Especially mentally.

That's what so beautiful about golf. I think being outside, I love that. That's the of the one bad thing about the WNBA. It's in the spring and summer, fall. I miss a lot of opportunity to play golf. Now that the season ended I try to play as much as I can.

It's getting cold in Indianapolis now. It's something fun to do. I make it competitive. Go out there with your friends and have as much fun as you can and do something outside of basketball is really what I love about it.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Let's talk some numbers in golf. What's your lowest round?

CAITLIN CLARK: Oh, God. I can get in the mid-'80s if I'm lucky. Yeah, usually I'm just praying to break 100.

LAUREN THOMPSON: That's a lot of us in this room. Nelly Korda is rounding out the pro-am group for you guys. Yeah, she's in very, very good hands.

CAITLIN CLARK: It's okay. I'm a good sport about it. Hey, I don't want to hit anyone with a golf ball. That's my number one priority.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Going to be a pretty crowded gallery.

CAITLIN CLARK: That doesn't help.

LAUREN THOMPSON: One thing that will help this entire conversation is bringing up Kathy Ireland, keynote speaker. Kathy, come on up and join the panel. (Applause.)

If you weren't in the room earlier, Kathy spoke. It was inspirational about becoming a model to a mogul and Forbes magazine is just one that says you are the blueprint for making this happen. She started Kathy Ireland Worldwide in 1993; 2021 alone they made $3 billion I believe, more than that just generating revenue off every product you can possibly imagine. She started with socks, and has gone all the way to home furnishing, wedding gowns, pet products, fitness equipment, credit cards. Just about everything she's touched on.

So clearly she's an expert in branding and paving your path and taking on those challenges. Kathy, what have you noticed in particular about Annika and Caitlin's brand at this point in their respective careers?

KATHY IRELAND: Thank you, Lauren. Annika and Caitlin, you both have far exceeded your young years for both of you what, you accomplished already. What I see in both of you is you both embody this beautiful genuine humility and awesome courage. I'm super excited for you for what you've already built and as you continue and how you're impacting people in such positive ways.

It's inspiring to experience awesome role models. And as a mom and a grandma, yaya is my grandma name, as a mom and yaya, I'm so grateful to have such awesome women. So I just encourage you as you move forward to just always keep on being super alert for everything.

It can be really hard, especially at a young age, when you succeed so much, and to see the grace and strength that you both embody is powerful. So I just encourage you, continue to make your own choices, not let anybody try to impose stuff on you that's not you. It's your genuine authenticity that's showing through. It's powerful, powerful brands.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Well said. Annika, got to go back to you. When we talk about females moving the business needle and being more than simply a marketing tool or face on a brand, your stats are incredible. Got a beverage company with Fizzy Beez, apparel relationships, the ANNIKA Award, which is given out annually, the Rolex Major Award, which is the post-season title they're all chasing out there; six junior tournaments in five countries bearing your name, The ANNIKA Intercollegiate as well. Also a Medal of Freedom recipient and much more. Seriously, sounds crazy, but I'm just scratching the surface. Of course The ANNIKA going on this week at Pelican.

Before all this, how much thought did you truly dedicate to branding?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I didn't know anything about it. I mean, growing up you just play golf and go from there.

I think obviously you evolve and the sport has taken me to where we are today. I mean, I just learned along the way I never really thought about it like a private label. I'm nothing like Kathy over here.

It's just, I don't know, one thing led to another and you just try to make the best out of it. We all have dreams, and sometimes they're dreams and sometimes they become real, really comes to fruition. A lot of the stuff has for me. I feel very lucky.

Obviously it's hard work and people behind it, but it wasn't like I had a blueprint early. Life takes you in different places and then an idea comes and it grows, and then that one expands to another branch. I mean, I feel very lucky to be where I am. Again, it's people around me that have helped to guide me.

I have a lot of ideas. I was just looking around the room and the CEO of my foundation is here. He came on board about two, three years ago. He wanted to sit down with me, said, what do you want? I said, I'm just going to put a list together. I think I sent him three pages, and we have already come a long ways.

Once you start thinking about opportunities when you have the right people with you, they help you with the vision, and then it's obviously you kind of clean the branches and see things after that. So it's just kind of come along. I don't know. I love to build things, create things. I like to be involved and make an impact, and just has been lucky to have the right partners and share the vision and go the long ways with me.

LAUREN THOMPSON: For sure. So we've got the ANNIKA effect in golf. We have the Caitlin effect going on right now, Caitlin Fever. Really fun pun there. Your performance on the hardwood speaks for itself. What do you ultimately want your message and brand to be about?

CAITLIN CLARK: Oh, gosh. That's a big question for 22. I don't know. I think the way I've tried to approach everything is my life has changed over the past few years. Coming from college and now to professional level, just I've been myself. I think that's what resonates with people. Like what you see on the court is kind of how I am off the court. I'm the same person.

I love basketball and also there is so much more to life for me, and I understand that and have great perspective on that. For me it's really cool to see the way things have changed. When first started in college it was COVID so not many people in the stands, maybe no one, then 300 people, friends and family only. By the time I was at my senior year you can't get a ticket unless you're going to pay a lot of money. It's just really cool to see how everything has changed.

I've tried to stay the same person I was as a little girl growing up with the boys. I feel like I'm just me and that's when people love and can relate to. Just stay that way that keeps it fun and what I enjoy about it.

LAUREN THOMPSON: What's your biggest motivator?

CAITLIN CLARK: Wanting to be the best. Like I don't want anyone to be better than me in whatever it is. I just want to be better than everybody else. I think I'm very real with myself, too. I know when I maybe haven't done my best in something I'm going to be the first person to look in the mirror and know what I need to get better at.

Those two things help me be the best. I can be very honest and real with myself. Definitely the younger generation struggles with that. They always want to point fingers.

I think it's that. I just want to be better than everybody else.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Annika, I see the wheels turning and the thoughts. Was there a moment -- this might be hard to pick just one where you truly surprised yourself and revealed to yourself what you were made of.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I would say that it's probably when I accepted an invite to play with the men in 2003. I had been No. 1 on the LPGA and in the world for a few years. I was looking for ways to continue to push myself.

I knew I hadn't reached my full potential. I feel like there was some improvements I could do. You keep pushing yourself, but sometimes you need something else out there. That opportunity when I was asked to play with the men in 2003, because just like Caitlin, I grew up playing golf against the boys in my club. They pushed us.

Then when this opportunity came, I was like, this is exactly what I need. The reason I needed it, I wanted to see what I was made of, if I could handle the pressure, can I play from these tees.

It was never about trying to prove that women are better golfers or anything like that. I can beat some men. That had nothing to do with it. How do I go from here to here? The journey I would say was probably more interesting than the tournament itself, what you learn about yourself.

You would be surprised -- if you set the bar really, really high, you would be surprised how you can step up to the challenges and the things that you do to really get there if you're determined. I think I learned so much about myself and what I was capable of doing.

But it was an interesting few months because all of a sudden a lot of people are interested in golf. A lot of people thought they were experts on my game. They've never even watched me play and they had comments. You learn things from those moments, too.

But, yeah, I look back at that. Especially going back to what we talked earlier about being so shy. Why would somebody make this decision and be in front of so many cameras when you don't want to give a winning speech. That surprised me.

Again, being comes back to improving as a person and learning. I didn't make the cut. I missed it by a few shots.

The experiences and the stories and just looking back at the people that I met and really the impact that I had no idea that it had on some people that I found out later when we have like ten year anniversary, that came up to me and said I drove all the way from Oklahoma to Dallas. I had no tickets, hotel, nothing, but I wanted my girls to watch you play.

Gives me goosebumps because he wanted his girls to be confident in themselves and wanted them to see if you have a dream, don't hold back. So then you just kind of look at the whole thing. Here I was worried about hitting the fairway, making a putt. When you think about the big picture, so for me I would say I'm surprised I did that.

I'm also glad I did. Not just to talk about it but to share it with my kids. I tell our daughter all the time, hey sweetie, you can do anything. I tell my son, hey, girls can do it too, so you better watch out.

LAUREN THOMPSON: It's really cool footage. If you haven't seen it. You've got to check it out. We know that there were nerves there. Of course she accepted the invite. She wanted that spotlight. She knew what it meant for the game of golf. But you hit that first tee shot, and it's just about the biggest deep breath that you take of just relaxation after and you found the fairway, everything was good.

Kathy, I know that you have likely surprised yourself a few times over becoming a global licensor.

KATHY IRELAND: Well, I love hearing from Annika and Caitlin, and I'm grateful for that. As I'm thinking about what it takes to be a great athlete, that you just fight through and that competitiveness is so wonderful, and what you both have experienced being women in sports.

When I was a little girl, I had a paper route, and you had to be 11 years old for that responsibility, and I couldn't wait. When I came of age, my dad shoves this newspaper under my nose; it read, newspaper carrier wanted, are you the boy for the job. And he knew the reaction that I was going to get. I wrote to the paper and was like, no, I'm the girl for the job, I can do it just as well as any boy.

First day, New Year's Day papers are really thick, and I was a really scrawny 11-year-old, like what have I gotten myself into. I'm pedaling up the hill, and I noticed this man at the end of his driveway, and he just looked super agitated, and I was like, okay, he's having a bad day, and I hand him his newspaper and he starts yelling at me. He's like, what are you doing this, this is a boy's job, you're never going to last.

I didn't let him see me cry, but I'm very grateful to him because there are a lot of days I wanted to quit and there was no way I was going to give him that satisfaction, and what would it do to the next little girl who would want such a responsibility. I kept it for three and a half years and won carrier of the year for my district each year.

Something my dad said was, Kathy, always give 110 percent. If the customer expects the paper on the driveway, you put it on the front porch. Under-promise, over-deliver. It's the foundation of our business today, and it's kind of that competitiveness with myself, like okay, they want it on the -- I'm going to get it on the front porch.

We say it in business today, if somebody does a great presentation, you got it on the front porch. To me it's even more meaningful than -- I'm grateful for other accolades in business; it's wonderful. But getting -- I didn't even win overall carrier of the year, but for my district, but I think I'm more proud of that than some of the other.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Just to refresh everyone's mind if they weren't in here earlier, how old were you when you had that paper route?

KATHY IRELAND: 11 and a half.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Before that you were selling what?

KATHY IRELAND: The first job I was four selling painted rocks from a wagon. Did pretty good. My sister was three years older, sold hers for a dime. I sold mine for a nickel, and I learned that my customer appreciates a good value.

I do feel a little guilty because I was tempted to market my rocks, like you buy two of mine for the price of one of Mary's, but I didn't, and I'm glad I didn't, because that sister relationship is more important than money.

LAUREN THOMPSON: That's one way to look at it, but actually that technique of throwing the paper still is alive and well in your life.

KATHY IRELAND: It's alive and well. An inspiration who's become a dear friend is Warren Buffet, and he had a paper route. That's one thing we have in common. In his day they didn't use rubber bands. They folded -- you had to throw them without.

Anyway, at the Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meetings, he invites me to compete with him. He owns newspapers, he owns Clayton Homes, so he's got the home setup. Here's a great lesson. His executive will call me the night before, and she's like, Kathy, he's practicing, he's practicing, and I'm like, I am, too. I'm in the hotel with this low roof and I'm like trying to practice at it not flying apart.

But he's got a few years on me, but still, I love that he never stops practicing. He never stops growing, and that competitive spirit, whether you're an athlete or a business person, that you just always want to get better, and it makes it fun and exciting because you're never going to be done, you're just always going to get better.

LAUREN THOMPSON: I have a feeling you're still chasing titles when you're doing that right now.

I think we've got time for some rapid fire questions right now. Caitlin, Annika, you down for this? So career you would have if you were not who you are today.

KATHY IRELAND: Oh, my goodness. I've had multiple careers. My favorite career has been mom. I mean, just off the chart. The hardest, mom skills are my CEO skills, too, conflict resolution, all of that. But if not, I don't know. I think I would like to be like a Jacques Cousteau underwater photographer. I always thought that would be really cool.

CAITLIN CLARK: Gosh, hmm. Maybe like a professional chef. That would be fun.

LAUREN THOMPSON: What do you cook? Do you get down in the kitchen?

CAITLIN CLARK: I can cook, I just don't have time to do it much, but my mom was a great cook growing up, so I loved having good food. I don't have as much time anymore, so if I had more time, that's what I would do.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I studied to be a chemical engineer, and I'm glad I --

CAITLIN CLARK: That's better than what I said.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: It doesn't sound so exciting.

KATHY IRELAND: It sounds really exciting. You're amazing.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I'm happy what happened happened but that's what I was doing before golf.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Annika, favorite snack?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I like fruit, any fruit.

CAITLIN CLARK: Doritos.

LAUREN THOMPSON: What flavor?

CAITLIN CLARK: Just regular nacho cheese.

KATHY IRELAND: Cookies.

THE MODERATOR: TV show or series you're watching?

KATHY IRELAND: "The Chosen."

CAITLIN CLARK: Ooh, I just finished "Starting Five" on Netflix, which follows the five NBA players, which is really good. It's cool to see the inside access of how they live their lives, where a lot of people don't get to see behind the scenes. It's pretty cool.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I don't watch a lot of TV, but when I do, I guess it's "Yellowstone," and I guess it's coming out.

LAUREN THOMPSON: This came up last night at dinner, actually. We've got the new episodes. If anyone has already seen it, don't show us. We haven't checked it out yet.

Guilty pleasure. Kathy, what would that be for you?

KATHY IRELAND: Not-cooked cookies, cookie dough.

CAITLIN CLARK: A warm chocolate chip cookie.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Yeah, a glad of wine or two.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Favorite singer or band?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I like Coldplay.

CAITLIN CLARK: Right now Taylor Swift. I just went two nights in a row in Indianapolis. I've been three times.

LAUREN THOMPSON: How many bracelets did you have?

CAITLIN CLARK: Oh, I had a ton, all the way up the arms. I had to take them off. My circulation was getting cut off. Everyone was just chucking their bracelets at me, but I've seen her three times now and every time the show has just gotten better. You leave even a bigger fan. It was pretty awesome.

KATHY IRELAND: There's so many, but at this moment my favorite singers are Daisy and Freya, my granddaughters. They're almost two and four years old. Their choices, you could be in the worst mood having the worth day and their voices just melt everything away. So beautiful.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Biggest fear?

KATHY IRELAND: Biggest fear is allowing fear to paralyze me and stop me from doing what's got to be accomplished. So when that creeps in, just got to squash it out.

LAUREN THOMPSON: What would it be for you, Caitlin?

CAITLIN CLARK: I really don't like cats.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Are you allergic?

CAITLIN CLARK: No. There was this black cat on my street growing up, and it was so mean and now I'm scarred, so I really am scared of cats. So I'm sorry if any of you have a cat. I just don't -- I like dogs a lot but no cats.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I love cats.

CAITLIN CLARK: Sorry. It's because you're a chemical engineer. That's just what happens.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Well, when women reach their 50s I think your fears, there's a lot of fears. Obviously I care about my kids, but I think just waking up and not having a purpose, that would be terrible.

LAUREN THOMPSON: That's great. Favorite workout?

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: I go on the Peloton bike.

CAITLIN CLARK: Oh, gosh. I don't know, honestly. I don't do much other than just basketball workouts and lift weights. I guess I have to like that, and I do, so we'll just go with that.

KATHY IRELAND: Hiking, surfing.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Last question in our rapid fire session, bucket list vacation, where are you going?

KATHY IRELAND: I want to go to Botswana. It's one of those places I've just never been, and it sounds pretty awesome.

CAITLIN CLARK: I've been to parts of Italy, but there's still some places I want to cross off, so I'd say there.

ANNIKA SORENSTAM: Anywhere I go with my family, but we're going to Alaska next year on a cruise.

LAUREN THOMPSON: Ladies and gentlemen, what an afternoon we've had here at the Women's Leadership Summit. Sand up. What a panel.

Please give it up for Kathy Ireland, for Caitlin Clark and for Annika Sorenstam. We want to thank everyone for attending, but first, before you move, if we could have everyone sit tight, stay exactly where you are, we'll let our panelists go ahead and exit.