Kai Trump has received from advice from Tiger Woods after suffering a nightmare debut in the LPGA.
The teenage granddaughter of US President Donald Trump endured a challenging professional golf debut in Florida, concluding The Annika tournament at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Trump, 18, recorded a score of 18-over-par across two rounds at Pelican Golf Club near Tampa.
Her performance left her six strokes behind the nearest competitor amongst 108 participants.
Kai Trump finished last on her LPGA debut
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REUTERS
The secondary school student had secured entry through a sponsor’s exemption despite limited competitive experience this year.
The amateur golfer, who holds a ranking of 461st in the American Junior Golf Association, began with a difficult opening round of 83. She failed to make the cut in what marked her first appearance on the LPGA Tour.
Before the tournament, the young golfer received guidance from two notable figures in her life.
Woods, who is romantically involved with her mother Vanessa, offered straightforward counsel.
“He told me to go out there, have fun, go with the flow,” she revealed about the 15-time major champion’s advice.
Her grandfather provided similar encouragement. “Just don’t get nervous,” she recalled the President telling her. “My grandpa pretty much told me to go out there and have fun.”
The President was unable to attend the Florida event. “He’s not coming this weekend. He’s running the world right now, so a little busy,” she explained.
Despite their close relationship and regular golf matches together, his absence was understandable given his responsibilities.
Kai Trump revealed that she had received advice from golf legend Tiger Woods
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REUTERS
The teenager acknowledged that anxiety got the better of her, particularly during her initial round. “I was definitely more nervous than I expected,” she admitted following the tournament.
Her struggles with composure were most evident on day one. “For the first day, I was definitely really nervous. I think the nerves just got to me,” she confessed.
The second round brought some improvement as she found greater composure. “When I went out there today, I felt very calm and peaceful, to be honest with you. That’s why I played better,” she reflected.
Throughout both rounds, the pressure remained constant. “The whole time I was nervous, without a doubt,” she conceded.
Tiger Woods is dating Kai Trump’s mother, Vanessa
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PA
Despite the disappointing outcome, the teenager found reasons for optimism about her performance. She took pride in matching the driving distance of established professionals.
“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 them on some of the holes, it felt pretty good,” she remarked.
The secondary school student maintained perspective about her development.
“I feel like my game is in a good spot, and especially only being a senior in high school,” she noted.
She approached setbacks with humour, choosing to laugh off mistakes with her caddie Allan Kournikova. “I had a great time out there,” she concluded.
