Kai Trump, the eldest granddaughter of US President Donald Trump, made her LPGA debut on Thursday in Florida and posted the day’s highest score.
England’s Charley Hull and Ireland’s Leona Maguire both started strongly to sit three shots off the lead, but 18-year-old amateur Trump, who received a sponsor’s exemption to play The Annika, opened with a 13-over-par 83 that left her in last place.
“I was definitely more nervous than I expected, but I thought I hit a lot of great shots out there. I hit a lot of good shots just to the wrong spots,” said Trump. “And obviously being my first LPGA event, now I kind of know how it goes. I felt like a little out of order in the beginning but I kind of got it going afterwards.”
Trump, who started on the back nine alongside Japan’s Hinako Shibuno and Germany’s Olivia Cowan, was applauded when she was introduced at the par-four 10th hole and again after she found the fairway with her opening tee shot.
Ranked 461st in the American Junior Golf Association standings and considered a long shot to contend this week, Trump bogeyed her first four holes before recording a par at the par-five 14th. She mixed two bogeys with a pair of pars over the next four holes, including an up-and-down to save par at the 16th, and reached the turn at six-over 41.
Out of the turn she dropped another shot, then carded two double-bogeys over the next four holes and added two more bogeys over her final three holes to finish 13 over.
Trump has been a regular in Florida’s top junior competitions and was competing a day after the University of Miami announced she had committed to play for the Hurricanes in the 2026-27 season.
South Korea’s Ryu Hae-ran emerged as first-round leader of The Annika, hosted by LPGA great Annika Sorenstam, after an opening six-under-par 64 that left her one shot clear of Australia’s Grace Kim.