Trump Granddaughter's Bumpy Start to Professional Golf
Kai Trump, the 18-year-old granddaughter of former US President Donald Trump, experienced a challenging introduction to professional golf during Thursday's first round of The Annika tournament. The amateur golfer and eldest child of Donald Trump Jr carded a 13-over-par 83 in her LPGA debut, placing her at the bottom of the leaderboard in a field dominated by the world's top female professionals.
Nervous Start Despite Supportive Gallery
Playing on a controversial sponsor's exemption, Trump began her round on the back nine alongside former major champion Hinako Shibuno and Germany's Olivia Cowan. Despite receiving warm applause when announced on the par-4 10th tee, the young golfer confessed to overwhelming nerves that surpassed even her experience speaking at last year's Republican National Convention.
The tension showed immediately as Trump bogeyed her opening four holes, finding herself scrambling before completing her fifth fairway shot. A steady par at the par-5 14th temporarily halted the slide, but she reached the turn in 41 strokes, mixing two more bogeys with occasional pars.
Trump's mother, Vanessa, and University of Miami assistant coach Jim Garren walked inside the ropes throughout the round, providing support just one day after Miami announced her commitment to join the Hurricanes for the 2026-27 season. Remarkably, Golf Channel commentators identified Trump's gallery as the day's largest, drawing a mixture of supporters, sceptics and curious onlookers aware of the weeks-long debate surrounding her tournament invitation.
Back Nine Struggles and Moments of Promise
The second half of Trump's round brought further difficulties, beginning with an immediate dropped shot after the turn. Her game encountered serious trouble with two double-bogeys over four holes, though she demonstrated resilience with occasional flashes of quality.
On the par-4 eighth hole - her 17th of the day - a topped iron shot drew an audible gasp from spectators, only for Trump to respond with what commentators described as her crispest swing of the day. Despite looking directly into the sun, she knocked her following shot to within four feet of the pin.
Two concluding bogeys sealed her fate at 83 strokes, the highest score recorded during the tournament's opening round. "The whole time I was nervous without a doubt," Trump admitted afterward. "But I thought I did pretty good for a first time, being the youngest player in the field. Now I kind of know how it goes."
Divided Opinions on Tournament Invitation
Trump's presence has sparked considerable debate across American golf circles. Some analysts argued that combining the Trump family name with WNBA star Caitlin Clark in the pro-am created one of the tour's most discussed weeks in recent memory. Others questioned whether a player ranked No. 461 in the American Junior Golf Association deserved a spot in a competitive field where professionals battle for season-ending honours and, for some, their future careers.
Tournament host Annika Sorenstam defended the exemption decision, urging critics to "give this girl a chance." Pelican Golf Club owner Dan Doyle Jr, whose club controlled the invitation, noted Trump's appearance had already generated significant attention, particularly across social media platforms where she boasts over nine million followers.
"She's lovely to speak with," Doyle stated. "And this has created a buzz on top of the other great players we have here."
Trump has consistently framed the week as a learning experience, openly discussing weaknesses in her short game and putting while receiving praise from Pelican officials for her driving distance and ball-striking during practice rounds.
Her support network includes advice from her grandfather - "have fun, don't get nervous" - and guidance from Tiger Woods, the 15-time major champion who is dating her mother Vanessa. Woods recommended she "go with the flow," advice Trump referenced when explaining how she regrouped after mistakes during her challenging debut round.
Meanwhile, South Korea's Ryu Hae-ran led the tournament after an impressive six-under 64, one shot ahead of Australia's Grace Kim. Jennifer Kupcho sat two strokes back, while Britain's Charley Hull remained in contention among a group one shot further behind - underscoring the elite standard at an event that consistently attracts one of the LPGA's strongest fields.
