The scene at Pelican Golf Club was one of intense anticipation. A young girl stood clutching an autographed flag, her eyes fixed on the putting green. ‘She’s just another girl. She’s just like any other golfer,’ her father assured her. But he was mistaken. The object of her fascination, Kai Trump, was unlike any other player on the course.
A Debut Unlike Any Other
This week, Kai Trump was not just any golfer. While the field included the biggest names in women’s golf, no other competitor was shadowed by an entourage of eight Secret Service agents. No other player had received pre-tournament advice from a trio comprising Tiger Woods, tournament host Annika Sorenstam, and the President of the United States. And certainly, no other player was making their professional debut as a high school senior with seven million followers on Instagram and TikTok.
This unique profile is precisely why Kai, an amateur junior golfer, was granted a controversial sponsorship exemption to The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge on the LPGA tour. The decision proved as divisive as her grandfather’s politics. Supporters saw it as a bold move to elevate the profile of women’s golf, while critics flooded social media with vitriol, hoping she would fail.
The Circus Comes to Town
In one sense, the critics got their wish. The LPGA’s experiment with Kai Trump concluded after just two rounds. The First Granddaughter missed the cut after shooting a total of 18-over par, finishing six shots behind her nearest competitor and in last place.
Yet, for Kai and her inner circle, the week was framed as a victory. Her caddie and close friend, Allan Kournikova—brother of tennis legend Anna—told The Daily Mail, ‘I’m really excited to see what’s ahead… she’s got as much talent as anyone.’ He emphasised the vast experience gap, noting, ‘These girls come here, it’s like a 9-to-5 for them… This is our first time.’
The statistics underscored the challenge. Kai is 461st in the American Junior Golf Association rankings and shot 52-over at the prestigious Junior Invitational in March. To compete on the LPGA stage was a gargantuan leap. Her future University of Miami assistant coach, Jim Garren, conceded she was out of her depth but praised her resilience. ‘She’ll never play a more pressure-filled round in her career,’ he stated.
The Trump Effect: Buzz and Backlash
It was not her golfing resume that earned the invitation, but her CV of notoriety. Tournament organisers were unashamed. Don Doyle Jr., owner of Pelican Golf Club, admitted the exemption was to ‘bring attention to an event.’ He noted she brought viewers through social media ‘that normally don’t watch women’s golf.’ Tournament host Annika Sorenstam agreed, stating, ‘I think any tournament wants buzz.’
And Kai delivered. On Thursday, around 200 spectators crammed around the first tee, jostling with Secret Service agents. The crowd, dotted with ‘TRUMP’ caps and young female fans, was a spectacle. One girl was overheard saying she had skipped school to see Kai. The gallery following World No. 2 Nelly Korda paled in comparison.
The atmosphere was disruptive. Kai’s playing partners, Hinako Shibuno and Olivia Cowan, remained encouragingly polite, but Cowan’s caddie was heard pleading for basic golf etiquette. Despite the chaos, Kai held her head high, signing countless autographs for a hysterical mob of fans after her rounds.
Her mother, Vanessa Trump, was a constant, elegant presence in a ‘Sun Day Red’ cap—a nod to her boyfriend, Tiger Woods. She cheered enthusiastically, declaring she was ‘very proud’ of her daughter.
What Comes After the Circus?
No one expected Kai Trump to win. Sorenstam had pleaded, ‘Give this girl a chance,’ framing it as an opportunity for memories and lessons learned. In that, the tournament succeeded. Kai repaid the chance with a fanfare of attention, introducing the LPGA to a new, younger audience.
The pressing question now is how the LPGA Tour retains this fleeting interest. Unabashedly cashing in on the Trump name cannot be a sustainable, week-in, week-out strategy. Even Sorenstam didn’t have the solution, quipping, ‘If I could answer, I’d be the commissioner.’
For Kai Trump, the experience, despite the score, was a world away from her dejected exit from the Junior Invitational. She faced the immense pressure and left with her head held high, a smile plastered on her face, having navigated a week that was anything but normal.
