Kai Trump, the granddaughter of former President Donald Trump, made her much-anticipated debut on the LPGA Tour at The Annika tournament on Thursday. Playing at the Pelican Golf Club, the high school senior shot a 13-over par 83, finishing last among the 108-player field.
The round started on a bad note for Trump, who made bogeys on the first four holes. She completed her first professional tournament with nine bogeys and two double bogeys. Sadly for her, she simply wasn’t able to find a birdie all day long. The breezy conditions on the course added to the difficulty of her first competitive outing on such a prestigious stage.
Even with high score, despite her low score Kai Trump sounded hopeful about her performance. Her assurance about her game came from the knowledge that she felt her game leading into the year was “in a good spot.” That’s pretty remarkable, given that she’s still a high school senior. Reflecting on her experience, she said, “I was definitely more nervous than I expected, but I thought I hit a lot of great shots out there.”
As he put it, her shots were high quality, just not always in the right spots on the court. She remarked, “I hit a lot of good shots just to the wrong spots.” This raw account reflects her profound respect for the game at a fundamental level. Finally, it shines a light on her opportunities to get better as she works toward honing her craft.
Topping the leaderboard after day 1 is Haeran Ryu, after a blustery round that saw Ryu produce some phenomenal golf to shoot 64 (-6). By comparison, Trump’s dismal score left her at the bottom of the leaderboard, where she somehow still managed to keep smiling.
Trump’s entry into the world of professional golf has thus far been marked by drama and trepidation. She mentioned the thrill of competing alongside some of the best players in the world and noted, “It was pretty cool because I know I hit it far, but kind of playing with the best players in the world and being literally right there or even outdriving on some of the holes, it felt pretty good.”
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