Kai Trump and Charlie Woods are the most famous names in the field at the Junior Invitational this week, but the teens have struggled up against the best players in the world
17:18 ET, 20 Mar 2025Updated 17:18 ET, 20 Mar 2025
Kai Trump has had a tough time in the Junior Invitational(Image: Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images)
Kai Trump remains in last place in a prestigious golf tournament despite improving her score by 10 shots after a disastrous opening round.
The 17-year-old, granddaughter of President Donald Trump, is competing in the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in South Carolina. Kai is part of a 24-strong field of the best young golfers on the planet, but she has proved no match for the competition so far.
After carding a brutal 17-over-par 89 in Wednesday’s opening round, Trump – under the watchful eyes of secret service agents – upped her game on Thursday and went around in 79 to fall to 24-over-par for the tournament. Despite the significant improvement in her score, she is bottom of the leaderboard by 10 strokes.
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It was a better day in the boy’s division for Charlie Woods, the 16-year-old son of Tiger Woods. After opening up with a six-over-par effort on Wednesday, he went around in one-over for his second round, sitting 27th out of 34 players.
The Junior Invitational is one of the most prestigious events on the calendar, with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler among its previous winners. Akshay Bhatia, Joaquin Niemman and Austin Eckroat – all winners on the PGA Tour – also won the tournament in their teens. No. 1 ranked Asterisk Talley, who is in the field this week, is the reigning girl’s champion.
Woods is seven-over-par for teh tournament(Image: Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
Woods made four birdies and an eagle, but he was left to rue a double bogey at the ninth – his final hole of the round – which sent him over par for the day. American prospect Luke Colton and New Zealand’s Joshua Bai share the lead at six-under-par at the halfway point of the tournament, with 16-year-old wonderkid Miles Russell a shot back of the leaders in third.
Thailand’s Pimpisa Rubrong leads the way in the girl’s division at five-under-par after carding a three-under-par 69 on Thursday. She leads Canada’s Aphrodite Deng by three shots with 36 holes to play, while Califonia’s Scarlett Schremmer is one further back.
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University of Miami commit Trump is playing in her second accredited event after finishing in 29th place in the Dustin Johnson World Junior Championship last month. She is ranked 815th in the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) Rankings.
Woods has slightly more tournament experience, having played in four AJGA-accredited tournaments heading into this week. He is ranked 838 and has also had the benefit of playing on a big stage alongside his father in the PNC Championship in recent years.
