The U.S. President’s granddaughter is making her LPGA Tour debut on a sponsor exemption this weekend in Florida, with Caitlin Clark also taking part in the event
Kai Trump won’t be joined by the president at her first professional event this week(Image: Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Kai Trump will be making her LPGA Tour debut this week at The Annika, but it seems her U.S. President grandfather won’t be making the trip to the Tampa area for the occasion.
The 18-year-old amateur golfer, who said she received advice from President Trump and Tiger Woods ahead of her debut, will tee off in a professional event for the first time on Thursday at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida.
While Kai Trump shares a bond with her grandfather over the game of golf, she claims he will be too preoccupied with “running the world” to attend. “No, he’s not coming this weekend,” Trump said Tuesday. “He’s running the world right now, so a little busy.”
READ MORE: ‘This team is DTF’ – Tony Romo baffles NFL world with odd Patriots one-liner on CBSREAD MORE: Jason Kelce chokes back tears in emotional ESPN moment before Eagles-Packers
She described the relationship with her famous grandfather, who was first elected to office when she was just nine years old.
“To me he’s just a normal grandpa. Always has been,” Trump said. “It’s nothing — I would just say it’s like having a normal grandpa.
“There is nothing different I would say. It’s pretty cool obviously, but to me it’s just normal.”
Trump and his granddaughter share a bond over the game of golf(Image: Yasin Ozturk/Anadolu via Getty Images)
In addition to her grandfather, Trump had the help of Woods, who is dating her mother, Vanessa, in the lead-up to her LPGA Tour debut.
“Yeah, I mean, he is the best golfer in the entire world,” Trump said of Woods. “I would say that. And even better person. He told me to go out there and have fun and just go with the flow. Whatever happens, happens.”
Her grandfather offered similar advice before the big day.
“My grandpa pretty much told me, go out there and have fun. Just don’t get nervous. Try my best not to.”
Trump is playing in the tournament on a sponsor exemption and is committed to play college golf at the University of Miami in 2026.
Earlier this week, she had the chance to play alongside tournament host Annika Sorenstam, a longtime friend of Woods.
“I mean, it was amazing,” Trump said of Sorenstam. “I asked her a few questions about her swing and what I should maybe do differently. I just asked her questions around the greens, too, because around these greens it’s tough and you can hit different shots into them and what her opinion would be on some of those shots.
“It was really cool meeting her. She’s a legend, so nice to play nine holes with her.”
