Kai Trump, the granddaughter of US President Donald Trump, made her LPGA Tour debut on Thursday as a wildcard entry in the Annika tournament in Florida, which featured WNBA star Caitlin Clark on Wednesday.
Kai, 18, received a sponsor's invitation to the competition, held from November 13-16 at the Pelican Golf Club in Belleair.
The tournament boasts a $3.2 million purse, one of the largest on the circuit outside of the majors, and features American golfer Nelly Korda, the reigning champion and world number two, and British golfer Charley Hull, ranked sixth.
Donald Trump's granddaughter, news
The president's granddaughter made her LPGA Tour debut with a drive from the 10th hole that landed in the fairway, drawing applause from the crowd.
ADVERTISEMENT
Although Donald Trump was not present at the debut, Kai said that his grandfather had advised him to go out and have fun and avoid getting nervous. The US president is a big fan of this sport and owns 17 golf courses around the world.
Kai also admitted to speaking with golfer Tiger Woods, who is dating his mother, Vanessa Trump, and advised him to relax and have fun.
In addition to Kai, the Annika tournament featured Clark, a player for the Indiana Fever of the WNBA, who competed yesterday in a tournament between professionals and amateur players. Clark was caddied by two of her Fever teammates, Lexie Hull and Sophie Cunningham.
Kai Trump has competed in national amateur tournaments with the American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) and is currently ranked 461st.
ADVERTISEMENT
The Rules of Golf are a set of standards and procedures by which the sport of golf should be played. They are jointly written and administered by the Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, the governing body of golf worldwide, except in the United States and Mexico, which are governed by the United States Golf Association. An expert committee composed of members of the R&A and the USGA oversees and refines the rules every four years. The latest revision took effect on January 1, 2016. Amendments to the Rules of Golf generally fall into two main categories: those that improve understanding and those that reduce penalties in certain cases to ensure balance. The rulebook, entitled "Rules of Golf," is published regularly and also includes rules governing amateur status. In Italy, the Italian Golf Federation is responsible for overseeing competitions by enforcing the rules issued by the R&A, ensuring that these rules are observed by clubs, associations, and their members, and managing the resulting sporting justice, protecting their interests abroad.
