Nov 12, 2025; Belleair, Florida, USA; Kai Trump plays in the Annika Pro-Am golf tournament at Pelican Golf Club. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

President Donald Trump's oldest granddaughter Kai Trump is making her LPGA debut on Nov. 13.

She received a sponsor invite to The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club near Tampa, Florida. She's a solid high school player, who this summer struggled in a national junior event. But she's had varying degrees of success in local events and is in the field because of her last name and celebrity.

She said she received the same advice from three major golfers: the president of the United States, Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam (arguably the greatest women's golfer of all time):

"Have fun," she said they told her.

Here is what to know about the rising golf star and influencer.

Who is Kai Trump?

Kai Trump, 18, is President Trump's eldest granddaughter, the daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and his ex-wife Vanessa Trump.

Kai Trump made her political debut at the Republican National Convention ahead of the 2024 election, talking up the human side to her grandfather, who she said calls her to check in on her golf game.

She is a senior at The Benjamin School in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, and has committed to playing golf at the University of Miami after graduating.

Who are Kai Trump's parents?

Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump are Kai's parents.

Donald Trump Jr. is the oldest son of Donald Trump and the late Ivana Trump.

How does Kai Trump know Tiger Woods?

Kai Trump's mother, Vanessa Trump, is now dating golf legend Tiger Woods, and Trump Jr. is dating socialite Bettina Anderson.

Trump Jr. was formerly engaged to Kimberly Guilfoyle, the ex-wife of California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Guilfoyle is now the ambassador to Greece for the Trump administration.

Kai Trump shares a love of golf with her grandfather, Donald Trump

In February 2025, Kai Trump became the highest-valued player in girls’ high school golf, after announcing her first lucrative endorsement deal with big-name golf equipment company TaylorMade.

"Golf has always been a massive part of my life and is my biggest passion. I always aspire to be a leader and a positive figure on and off the golf course," Kai Trump's SportsRecruits biography says.

In August 2024, she announced her commitment to stay in Florida for college and play golf at the University of Miami after she graduates from the Benjamin School in Palm Beach County, Florida, in 2026.

She recently accompanied the president to New York for the Ryder Cup golf tournament.

"He's pretty good," Kai said at The Annika tournament about her grandfather, who claims to have won 38 club championships.

When asked if she has ever beaten him, she hesitated.

"I'll leave that up to you to decide," she said. "I don't know. We play a lot. We have a great time out there."

What is Kai Trump's golf ranking?

Kai Trump is known more now as a golf influencer with nearly 8 million followers across three platforms. But she hopes to flip that narrative from golf influencer to golfer.

At No. 461 in the American Junior Golf Association rankings — she was an All-County selection for Benjamin last fall and finished her junior season as the No. 151-ranked girls golfer in Florida — she has a long way to go.

In March, she shot 89-79-83-89 and finished in last place in a field of 24 golfers at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in South Carolina.

But privilege, opportunity and access to the greatest names in the sport can go a long way.

"I'm going to learn a lot no matter what happens," said Trump, who recently signed a letter of intent with the University of Miami. "I'm going to take a lot away from it. To be inside the ropes with them playing with (the best players), learning what kind of shots they hit, what do they do on the course."

Kinsey Crowley is the Trump Connect reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at KCrowley@usatodayco.com. Follow her on X (Twitter), Bluesky and TikTok.

Tom D'Angelo is a senior sports columnist and reporter for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at tdangelo@pbpost.com.

Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Kai Trump? What to know about the president's granddaughter amid her LPGA debut

Reporting by Kinsey Crowley, Tom D'Angelo and Jennifer Sangalang, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect