Earlier this week, headlines regarding Kai Trump likely caused a few eyebrows to raise.
President Donald Trump’s 18-year-old granddaughter received an LPGA sponsor’s exemption into the ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club from Nov. 13 to 16.
The move, however, came with some criticism. Although Trump, who is 461st in the American Junior Golf Association ranking, has committed to play college golf at the University of Miami next year, some feel it’s a publicity stunt, taking a spot away from someone who may be more deserving.
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But there’s a specific reason why Trump was granted a tee time with the world’s top players.
“I would imagine, since the Tuesday announcement, that this is one of the most talked-about women’s golf tournaments that has probably ever existed,” Justin Sheehan, the chief operating officer of Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Fla., told Golf.com. “It’s on news channels and sports channels. The numbers of social-media impressions, I guess they call it, are staggering. Love it or hate it, it’s getting people to talk about the event.
“We’re on a mission to grow this game. Seeing the impact (Fever guard) Caitlin (Clark) had last year was fairly eye-opening.”
In 2024, Clark teed it up in the ANNIKA’s pro-am, and tournament host Annika Sorenstam, a World Golf Hall of Famer, admitted she had never seen a crowd that big during an LPGA practice round.
“It’s just great how it brings attention to the tournament,” the 72-time LPGA champion said.
A year later, Clark will be back at Pelican, and adding Trump to the mix will only bring more eyeballs to the event—especially with nearly six million social media followers.
Because of Trump’s notoriety, Mike McGee, who is Sorenstam’s husband, doesn’t understand the backlash.
“For anybody that says (Trump) doesn’t deserve to be there, I think it’s crazy,” he said on his and Sorenstam’s SiriusXM show this week. “The idea is to highlight women’s golf, and she’s going to do it to a diverse crowd of millions more people that would tune in (who) otherwise wouldn’t tune in.”
Sorenstam didn’t extend the invite to Trump; though, the 55-year-old Swede is glad Trump is in the field, along with fellow exemptions Anne-Sterre den Dunnen of Wake Forrest and Lauryn Nguyen—a former Northwestern University golfer making her pro debut.
“I’m excited to have (Trump), too, and like you (McGee) said, this is a sponsor’s invite,” Sorenstam said on SiriusXM. “The sponsor gets to choose who they want to pick that would add to the tournament in different ways.”
And the LPGA backs the decision.
“Sponsor invitations are an important way to spotlight emerging talent and bring new attention to our tournaments and the LPGA,” said Ricki Lasky, the tour’s chief tour business and operations officer. “Kai’s broad following and reach are helping introduce golf to new audiences, especially among younger fans.”
Trump, meanwhile, hopes to make the most of her opportunity.
“My dream has been to compete with the best in the world on the LPGA Tour,” she said in a statement. “This event will be an incredible experience. I look forward to meeting and competing against so many of my heroes and mentors in golf as I make my LPGA Tour debut.”
One thing is certain, though: all eyes will be on Trump at Pelican, seeing if she can make the cut.
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