Kai Trump, the 18-year-old granddaughter of President Donald Trump, will make her professional golf debut next month after receiving a sponsor invitation to compete in an LPGA Tour event.
Trump announced Tuesday she has accepted an invitation to play in The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair, Florida, November 13-16. The tournament is one of the premier events on the LPGA schedule with a $3.25 million purse.
“It has been a dream of mine to compete at the professional level, and I’d like to thank the Pelican Golf Club for the invitation,” Kai Trump said. “I’m looking forward to teeing it up and competing with the best players in the world at one of the most premier venues on tour.”
Trump is a senior at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach County and has committed to play collegiate golf at the University of Miami starting in 2026. She is the eldest daughter of Donald Trump Jr.
The invitation comes despite Trump’s limited competitive experience at the elite level. She is currently ranked No. 979 in The Universal Golf Rankings’ junior girls ranking and No. 461 in the American Junior Golf Association girls standings.
Kai struggled in her highest-profile tournament to date, finishing last in a 24-player field at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in March. She shot 52 over par through four rounds at the prestigious event, which has crowned past winners including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
But she has shown improvement in recent months, tying for third at a South Florida PGA event in July and finishing runner-up at a Hurricane Junior Tour event earlier this year.
Tournament host Annika Sorenstam defended the invitation, citing Trump’s social media presence and potential to grow the game.
“I’m excited to welcome Kai Trump to our tournament,” Sorenstam said. “She is Pelican Golf Club’s sponsor invitation and I support it. We are all about growing the game, especially to young girls. She has a bright future and committed to the University of Miami to play next year. Kai has a tremendous social media following which we feel will help elevate our event and ultimately the game.”
Trump has built a massive following across social media platforms, with more than 6 million combined followers including over 1.3 million YouTube subscribers. She recently launched an apparel and lifestyle brand aimed at empowering young women in sports.
LPGA officials emphasized Trump’s ability to attract new audiences to the sport.
“Sponsor invitations are an important way to spotlight emerging talent and bring new attention to our tournaments and the LPGA,” said Ricki Lasky, the LPGA’s chief tour business and operations officer. “Kai’s broad following and reach are helping introduce golf to new audiences, especially among younger fans. We’re excited to see her take this next step in her journey.”
Justin Sheehan, director of golf and chief operating officer at Pelican Golf Club, praised Trump’s impact on growing the game.
“Kai Trump has a tremendous passion for the game and is expanding the sport to broader audiences,” Sheehan said. “She has a bright future at Miami, and we look forward to welcoming her and our entire tournament field to Pelican Golf Club in November.”
The Annika serves as the penultimate event on the LPGA Tour schedule and provides the final opportunity for players to crack the top 60 in the Race to the CME Globe and qualify for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship in Naples, Florida.
The 108-player field typically features one of the strongest lineups of the year outside the major championships. Nelly Korda is the defending champion, having also won the event in 2021 and 2022.
WNBA star Caitlin Clark will return to play in the tournament’s pro-am on November 12 for the second consecutive year.
Sorenstam was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Trump on January 7, 2021, and currently serves on the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.
Trump has frequently played golf with her grandfather at Trump National Golf Club in Washington, D.C., posting videos of their rounds together on social media.
“I just don’t view it as him being the president. I view it as, he’s my grandpa. We’re gonna go out there and play golf,” Trump said in a recent interview with Fox News. “We play golf all the time. It’s nothing new.”
Pelican Golf Club will celebrate its centennial in 2025. The tournament runs from November 13-16 at the historic Belleair venue.