The spotlight at The Annika, the LPGA’s penultimate event of the 2025 tour season, belonged to Kai Trump.
Even before her 12:32 tee time Thursday afternoon, Trump drew a sizable following of fans.
Huddled along the Belleair Pelican Golf Club driving range, dozens watched President Trump’s oldest grandchild prepare for her tour debut. They ranged from young children in camouflage Trump hats to older golf fans dressed more neutrally.
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Regardless of political affiliation, the intrigue in the 18-year-old Trump’s play was widespread.
This was to be expected, as Trump received a sponsor’s exemption to compete alongside some of the world’s best golfers largely because of her following on social media.
Trump has 3.4 million followers on Tik Tok, 2.5 million on Instagram and 1.3 million on her YouTube channel.
She was grouped with Japanese golfer Hinako Shibuno, who ranks 115th globally and has $3.4 million career earnings, and German golfer Olivia Cowan, who is ranked 199th.
Trump, who has signed to play Division I golf at the University of Miami after she graduates high school in the spring, is a strong golfer in her own right.
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But as the no. 461 female player in the current American Junior Golf Association rankings, she is far from the skill level of the rest of The Annika’s field.
That did not seem to matter to those who came to watch her.
After Trump left the driving range and walked toward where she would tee off at the 10th hole, the driving range essentially emptied.
The crowd of dozens grew beyond 100 as she got ready to tee off. As Trump was announced at the start of her round, the crowd erupted in cheers. Her first shot was a drive up the middle of the fairway, and she narrowly missed a putt for par on the first hole of the day.
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Some fans started walking toward the site of Trump’s next shot before Hinako and Cowan had even swung.
For her part, Trump appeared to be serious and composed, tuning out the uproarand frequently leaning on caddie Allan Kournikova, who she grew up playing with. She bogeyed her first four holes, though, and was 4-over and tied for 99th in the 108-player field.
Still, she seemed to be sticking with her plan.
“I’m just going to go out there and have fun and see which way it goes,” Trump said on Tuesday. “I’m going to take a lot away from it. Competing with the best players is going to be cool. To be inside the ropes with them playing with them, learning what kind of shots they hit.”
