In probably the most daunting rounds of her career, Kai Trump had hard lessons to learn. The sponsor invitee at the ANNIKA opened with a 13-over-par 83 and finished last out of the 108 players to miss the cut on her LPGA debut. But at 18 years old, results weren’t going to overshadow her all-important week.

“What an incredible honor and opportunity to compete in my first LPGA Tour Event at @theannikalpga! This week was an absolute dream come true. There are so many amazing people I want to thank for making it happen and for being so supportive,” Trump penned in her Instagram post.

“It was a lifelong dream to play in an LPGA event, and this is just the start. I learned so much about my game and myself out there. I was so impressed by all the LPGA players I met and got to watch as well. I’m going to use this experience to keep growing as a person and as a golfer. Thank you all for the support! 🫶”

Trump’s “nervous” 83 in round one had zero birdies and a triple-bogey on the fifth hole. But when she returned for round two, it was calmness that prevailed. With an 8-stroke jump from her first day, Trump improved to 5-over 75. She also made birdies on the third, seventh, 11th, and 12th, before making par on the 18th hole, and tied the score of her playing partner, major champ Hinako Shibuno.

As her soon-to-be assistant coach at the University of Miami expressed, “she’ll never play a more pressure-filled round in her career.” She was debuting on a star-studded field that included the likes of world No. 2 and defending champion Nelly Korda and Charley Hull. Even the media coverage for round two was up by 180% since 2024.

But she has had the support of her close ones all through.

First, it was Annika herself who defended her exemption. Her caddie, Allan, was with her the whole time, helping her navigate the greens and sharing a chuckle when she failed to make the cut. While her mother, Vanessa, was quick to say she was ‘proud,‘ her grandfather and US President Donald Trump had been encouraging her to just have fun, as was Tiger Woods, who is dating Kai’s mother.

And when the 18-year-old returned from the event, composed and with positives, it did not get past Hull. The world No.6 ‘liked’ the Instagram post, after having previously applauded Trump.

“That’s really good, considering this is not just an easy LPGA event; this is probably one of the hardest courses that we play on. So, for her to come out, she had to be so nervous. It was her first LPGA event — I remember my first event I was really nervous — and she’s got a lot of pressure on her and a lot of eyes on her,” Hull had said of Kai.

But it wasn’t just the golfers or the family holding Kai’s hand; fans flooded social media to drop some messages of encouragement.

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The fan rally..from the locker room to the comments

“Well done young lady👏👏👏,” wrote one fan. This praise was well-earned. Critics expected a total collapse as one sportsbook set her over/under at a high 92.5. Kai shattered that, and her 8-shot jump from 83 to 75 said a lot. “She stands so tall,” wrote another fan, acknowledging Kai’s grit.

It wasn’t about the result for many. Holding her own against the pros on one of the most prestigious courses at 18 years old was an achievement enough. “Congratulations Kai! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻” read a comment, while another declared: “You’re the absolute best.”

Is she the “best” golfer? Not quiet, but she sure is honest to her game and her journey. In the two events prior to the LPGA, Trump finished third at a South Florida PGA tournament in July and second at a Hurricane Junior Tour event. So by all means, this is just the beginning for the 18-year-old still in her senior year of high school.

“Focused High on Soaring Ambitions,” another expressed. The young golfer is set to join the University of Miami in 2026, and this debut was just the first lesson in a long journey.