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Journalism of Courage
When one is arguably the most powerful (and influential) man on the planet, a lot of doors open for their family and others close to them. It’s no different in the case of current US president Donald Trump.
His grand-daughter Kai, 18, is due to play college golf for Miami Hurricanes but before that will make her debut on the LPGA Tour, the toughest and most prestigious circuit in the women’s game, when she tees up at the Annika at Pelican Golf Club in Florida from November 13-16 November. Kai will play on a sponsor’s exemption the penultimate event on the LPGA schedule, which has a prize fund of $3.25 million.
Kai is the eldest daughter of Donald Trump Jr and has committed to play golf at the University of Miami in 2026, BBC Sport reported.
“My dream has been to compete with the best in the world on the LPGA Tour,” she said in a statement. “This event will be an incredible experience. I look forward to meeting and competing against so many of my heroes and mentors in golf as I make my LPGA Tour debut.”
Her wish may be realised as the tournament as the field includes stalwarts such as world number two Nelly Korda, England’s Charley Hull, Lexi Thompson and 2023 champion Lilia Vu.
Kai has more than six million followers across her social media platforms and recently launched her own apparel and lifestyle brand. The LPGA is keen to piggyback on her visibility and profile.
“Sponsor invitations are an important way to spotlight emerging talent and bring new attention to our tournaments and the LPGA,” said Ricki Lasky, LPGA’s chief tour business and operations officer. “We’re excited to see her take this next step in her journey.”
The tour added that Kai’s “broad following and reach are helping introduce golf to new audiences, especially among younger fans.”
Kai is currently a senior at Benjamin School, a private institution in Palm Beach County of the Sunshine State. She plays in amateur events nationally with the American Junior Golf Association and locally in Florida and is currently No 461 in the AJGA (American Junior Golf Association) Girls ranking, having appeared in three events this year, the Associated Press reported.
Kai made an emotional speech in support of her grandfather during the Republican National Convention, supporting his 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump is himself an avid golfer and owns several courses around the world. But according to the Book ‘Commander in Cheat: How Golf Explains Trump’, by Rick Reilly, he doesn’t play the game in a fair manner, lies about his scores, and violates the game’s etiquette.
