If you didn’t know, President Trump’s eldest granddaughter and Donald Trump Jr.’s eldest daughter, Kai Trump, is a golfer. And she shares the golf course with another young golfer whose dad is a legend in the sport.
Kai Trump and Tiger Woods’ son, Charlie Woods, have held the attention of golf and pop culture enthusiasts for a couple of weeks now. They both attend the same elite Palm Beach County School, frequently play in the same tournaments and now, their parents are publicly dating.
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Vanessa Trump, Kai’s mom and Donald Trump Jr.’s ex-wife, and Tiger Woods made their relationship “Instagram official” this March, confirming rumors of a romantic relationship between the two of them.
And a few weeks before Woods confirmed his relationship with Vanessa Trump, Kai snagged a huge NIL (Name, image and likeness) deal, valuing her at more than $1 million.
Because of their parents’ new relationship, many golf and pop culture fans have been comparing the young golfers’ rankings, golf game and deals.
Here’s what an NIL deal is, what we know about Kai Trump’s NIL valuation and if Charlie Woods has snagged a name, image and likeness deal yet.
The acronym stands for name, image and likeness. NIL deals protect student athletes’ rights to earn money from their publicity and sometimes includes a big-name brand endorsement, like Kai’s.
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Until a historic 2021 Supreme Court decision that led to an NCAA rule change, the NCAA didn’t allow student-athletes to profit from their name, image and likeness.
If Kai had been entering collegiate sports just five years sooner, she would not have had the opportunity to kick off her college career with this much potential for profit.
Tiger Woods and Vanessa Trump: Kai Trump, Sam and Charlie Woods are classmates in Florida
Does Kai Trump have an NIL deal?
In February, Kai announced her first lucrative endorsement deal with big-name golf equipment company TaylorMade. On3, a website that rates high school and college athletes, values her name, image and likeness (NIL) at more than $1 million after her TaylorMade deal.
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The exact terms of Kai’s deal with TaylorMade were not disclosed, but there is some information about her name, image and likeness valuation. She also has another NIL endorsement, in addition to the February golf equipment deal that propelled her valuation to more than $1 million.
Kai Trump has an estimated NIL valuation of around $1.2 million, according to USA TODAY and the site On3 Sports. The site also reports she signed her first NIL deal with Leaf Trading Cards in January. A pack of Leaf Trading Cards retails for $199.99, On3 reported. Each pack contains one random autograph card.
Her valuation after the TaylorMade deal makes her the No. 1 highest-valued player in girls’ high school golf.
When it comes to her valuation among women in college athletics (Kai is still only 17 years old and per USGA and Florida high school rules competes as a girls’ golfer), she ranks in the top five NIL money-makers. She’s outranked in NIL valuation by only three women, all college athletes: LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne, LSU basketball player Flau’Jae Johnson and UConn basketball player Paige Bueckers.
Can high schoolers make NIL money?
Some high schoolers, like Kai Trump, are eligible for NIL deals, but not in every state.
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It’s up to each state to decide whether or not high schoolers can profit from their NIL before college. Florida is a pioneer in NIL deals for high schoolers. It was the first state to approve NIL deals for high school athletes. Kai attends high school in Florida, at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens. Kai is set to graduate in 2026 and play golf for the University of Miami.
Where do Charlie Woods, Kai Trump go to school?
Kai Trump, Charlie Woods and his sister Sam Alexis Woods, all play sports and attend school at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens. Charlie Woods even helped The Benjamin School Buccaneers varsity golf team win a state title when he was a freshman.
In news interviews, Sam Woods has mentioned avoiding a professional career in golf because as a child, the tournaments meant long absences away from her father. Her choice sport has been soccer and she plays on The Benjamin School’s girls’ soccer team.
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The Benjamin School’s elementary and middle school campus is in North Palm Beach on Ellison Wilson Road, appropriately located near Golfview Road and wedged between two golf courses.
The Benjamin School’s high school campus, where Kai, Sam and Charlie attend school, is in Palm Beach Gardens, on Grandiflora Road, not far from Abacoa Golf Club.
According to the school’s website, one year of tuition for ninth through 12th grade was $37,200 for the 2024-25 school year.
Famous golfers, other than Tiger Woods, have also sent their children to The Benjamin School, including Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman.
Does Charlie Woods have an NIL deal?
As of Monday, March 31, 2025, Charlie Woods has no confirmed name, image and likeness deal, but he is eligible, a state champion and his dad, Tiger Woods, is golf royalty, Charlie Woods is likely to have plenty of chances for NIL deals. Whether or not he takes a deal, though, is the question.
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Last June, The Palm Beach Post spoke with The Benjamin School boys’ golf team coach Toby Harbeck.
“The four-time state champion golf coach went as far as to say that he would be ‘shocked’ and ‘surprised’ if the Woods signed any deal that came their way,” The Post reported.
“Obviously, someone’s going to go in on Charlie, but I doubt they’ll accept it,” Harbeck told The Post in June. “I know them too well.”
Do schools pay NIL money?
No, the NCAA does not currently allow NIL deals to be used as recruitment tools or for schools to pay college athletes directly for the use of their name, image and likeness.
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“Schools would not be permitted to directly compensate student-athletes for the use of their NIL but could identify potential NIL opportunities for student-athletes and even facilitate deals between student-athletes and third parties,” According to the NCAA.
NCAA NIL rules “prohibit a school from directly or indirectly providing financial support or assets to NIL entities.”
Where does the money come from for NIL?
NIL money comes from the businesses and brands looking to endorse student athletes.
“Because the NCAA still intends to maintain its amateur sports status, paying athletes for their play on the field isn’t possible,” according to Icon Source, an online marketplace that connects student athletes with brands interested in endorsing them.
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“NIL is the workaround for athletes to get paid without technically being considered professional athletes who make a living playing their sport.”
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: NIL in Florida: Do golfers Charlie Woods, Kai Trump have deals?
