Kai Trump, Granddaughter of Former President Trump, Finishes Last at 13 Over Par: "I Learned a Lot"

Invited Player Finishes 108th in Annika Driven 1st Round
Nine Bogeys and Two Double Bogeys Without a Birdie
Hae Ran Ryu Leads at 6-Under, Grace Kim in Second

Kai Trump, granddaughter of former U.S. President Donald Trump and an invited player, experienced firsthand the high level of competition among professionals.

On November 13 (local time), at the Pelican Golf Club (par 70, 6,349 yards) in Bel Air, Florida, USA, Kai Trump carded a score of 13-over-par 83 in the first round of the LPGA Tour Annika Driven (total prize money: 3.25 million dollars). She finished in last place among the 108 participants. Still an amateur, Kai recorded nine bogeys and two double bogeys without a single birdie that day.

Kai Trump is making a chip shot on the 16th hole of the first round of the LPGA Tour Annika Driven. Bel Air, USA ? Photo by AP Yonhap News

In a post-round interview, Kai Trump said, "I was much more nervous than I expected, but I think I hit a lot of good shots. There were also many times I ended up in the wrong spot," adding, "This was my first LPGA Tour event, and I feel like I'm getting used to it now. I learned a lot, and it was a wonderful experience."

Hae Ran Ryu shot a 6-under-par 64, recording seven birdies and just one bogey. She started the tournament in first place, one stroke ahead of Grace Kim from Australia, who finished with a 5-under-par 65. Hae Ran Ryu, the 2023 LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year, has secured one win each season since her debut, for a total of three career victories. Having claimed the title at the Black Desert Championship in May this year, she now has a chance to win again after six months.

Hae Ran Ryu commented, "I'm very satisfied with today's score. Both my shots and putts were great, which allowed me to make a lot of birdies." She continued, "The fairways are narrow and there are many bunkers, so I used my 3-wood often to keep the ball in the fairway, which worked well. My shot feel was good, so I was able to hit many good second shots as well."

Jennifer Kupcho from the United States finished third (4-under-par 66), while So Mi Lee and Mao Saigo from Japan tied for fourth (3-under-par 67). Yoon Ina, Choi Hyejin, Lee Mi Hyang, and Shin Ji Eun ended the first round tied for 18th (1-under-par 69). Jeon Inji and Kim Arim were tied for 40th (even-par 70), while Yang Heeyoung and Lim Jinhui were tied for 54th (1-over-par 71). Defending champion Nelly Korda from the United States also finished tied for 54th.