Kai Trump Shoots 83 in LPGA Debut and Learns from Experience

Kai Trump, granddaughter of US President Donald Trump and daughter of Donald Trump Jr, played her first-ever LPGA round at The Annika tournament. The 18-year-old amateur entered the event on a sponsor’s exemption, a decision that had already sparked wide debate. Her debut round was difficult, finishing with a 13-over-par 83, placing her at the bottom of the leaderboard. Still, the round became one of the most talked-about moments of the day, with large crowds and intense media attention.

Kai Trump began her round on the back nine, paired with former major champion Hinako Shibuno and Germany’s Olivia Cowan. She received warm applause as she stepped onto the tee, and her opening drive down the fairway settled the crowd. However, nerves quickly took over. She bogeyed her first four holes, showing signs of tension in her short game and approach shots. She later admitted that she was more nervous than when she spoke at the Republican National Convention.

Despite the rough start, Trump found some stability with a par at the par-5 14th hole. She followed with a mix of pars and bogeys, including an impressive up-and-down on the par-3 16th that brought loud cheers from spectators. She completed her first nine holes at 41. Although far from her best performance, these small highlights showed her potential and ability to recover after mistakes.

Throughout her round, Trump was supported by her mother Vanessa and her future college coach Jim Garren from the University of Miami. Their presence came just one day after she officially committed to play college golf for Miami in the 2026–27 season. Her group also attracted what Golf Channel commentators called the largest gallery of the day. Supporters, critics, and curious fans all walked the course with her, showing how much attention her invitation generated.

The LPGA’s broadcast window ended shortly after Trump finished her first hole, surprising many given the public interest. Nevertheless, crowds continued to follow her every shot. Fans lined the ropes across nearly every fairway, making her round feel like a major event even though she struggled with form.

Trump’s performance did not improve on the back nine. She dropped another shot right after the turn, then suffered two double-bogeys. One of the toughest moments came on the par-4 eighth hole, where she topped an iron, causing an audible gasp from the crowd. But she immediately followed it with her best swing of the day, landing the ball just four feet from the hole. Despite this recovery, she ended with two more bogeys, finishing her round at 83, the highest score of the day.

After the round, Trump said she felt nervous the entire time but believed she handled the situation well for her first professional-level event. She reminded reporters that she was the youngest player in the field. She said the experience helped her “understand how it goes” and that she plans to improve her weaknesses, particularly in her short game and putting.

Trump’s participation created division within the golf community. Some fans and analysts felt her presence added excitement, especially combined with WNBA star Caitlin Clark participating in the pro-am. Others questioned whether someone ranked No. 461 in the American Junior Golf Association should take a spot at a critical end-of-season tournament. Tournament host Annika Sorenstam defended the decision, asking people to “give this girl a chance.”

Club owner Dan Doyle Jr said Trump’s entry increased interest significantly, especially on social media, where she has more than nine million followers. Trump also shared that she received advice from her grandfather, who told her not to get nervous, and from Tiger Woods, who encouraged her to “go with the flow.”

While Trump struggled, the professional field showed high-level performance. South Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran led with a six-under-par 64. Australia’s Grace Kim followed one shot behind, and Jennifer Kupcho remained close at two strokes back. The strong scores highlighted the challenging gap between elite professionals and new amateur players.