Kai Trump talks to the media at a press conference for the ANNIKA golf tournament.
Lexi Thompson and Kai Trump share time on the golf course at Pelican Golf Club in Belleair practicing for The Annika.

BELLEAIR, Fla. — Kai Trump, the 18-year-old Benjamin School senior, has unique access to three of the biggest names in the golf world.

And whether it was her grandfather and U.S president Donald Trump; or 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, who is dating her mother; or Annika Sorenstam, arguably the greatest women's golfer of all time, she received the same advice from all three ahead of her first LPGA tournament.

"Have fun," she said they told her.

Trump received a sponsor invite to The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican Golf Club. Her debut will come Nov. 13 at 12:32 p.m. 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.

"The idea of an exemption is to bring attention to an event," said Dan Doyle Jr., the owner of Pelican Golf Club and the man who invited Kai Trump. "She brought a lot of viewers through Instagram … that normally don't watch women's golf. (That) was the hopes, and we're seeing it now on Instagram and social media."

Added Sorenstam, the event's host: "One thing that's different this year, I've never seen so many Secret Service people around here."

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."

The Annika includes three invitations chosen by each major stakeholder. Sorenstam invited Wake Forest senior Anne-Sterre den Dunnen. Gainbridge chose Northwestern All-American Lauryn Nguyen. Doyle invited Trump.

Doyle is the CEO of Tampa-based DEX Imaging and has co-hosted fundraisers for Republican governors and donated to Republican campaign committees.

Call it what you want - publicity stunt or looking to impress the president - sponsor exemptions have been used in the past to help bring attention and grow the profile of the event.

The Annika has accomplished that with a Trump in the field and WNBA star Caitlin Clark, among the most recognizable athletes in the world, playing in the Pro-Am for the second consecutive year.

"I think we gotten the buzz," Doyle said.

Kai Trump on her game: 'I'm a great ball striker'

Sorenstam admires what Kai has accomplished and what she has to endure at such a young age. The two had met one time before they played together three days before the tournament started.

"Her background, I just don't know how she does it," Sorenstam said. "To be (18) years old and hear all the comments, she must be super tough inside. We can all relate to get criticism here and there but she gets it 1,000 times."

Trump and Sorenstam agreed on the teenager's strengths and weaknesses.

"My strengths are definitely ball striking," she said. "I'm a great ball striker.

"I think I need to strike it better around the greens and I've been practicing a lot with that, especially these greens are tough. You need to have good hands around the greens."

Said Sorenstam: "She hits the ball really high. She drove it well. She has to work a little bit in her putting and her short game and she realizes."

But it was her confidence and passion for getting better that most impressed Sorenstam.

"She started asking question about my golf swing, why am I doing that, why are you not looking at the ball?" Sorenstam said. "I was talking to her about my tendencies and I said, 'well, what are your tendencies?' She just went off, 'this is what I do and I try to do that.' "

Kai Trump on Donald Trump's golf game: 'He's pretty good'

Kai is the second most famous golfer in her family, behind her grandfather. Donald Trump claims to have won 38 club championships.

"He's pretty good," Kai said about Donald.

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."

While Donald Trump has attended several sporting events since starting his second term as president, he will not make an appearance at The Annika, according to his granddaughter.

"He's running the world right now, so a little busy," Kai said.

She was far more complimentary of Woods. Kai's mother, Vanessa Trump, and Tiger Woods are dating. Kai and Tiger's son, Charlie, is on the golf teams at Benjamin.

"He is the best golfer in the entire world, I would say that," she said. "And even better person. He told me to go out there and have fun and just go with the flow. Whatever happens, happens."

And whatever happens, it will be known around the world.

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

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: How Kai Trump sought golf advice from Donald Trump, Tiger Woods, Annika Sorenstam

Reporting by Tom D'Angelo, Palm Beach Post / Palm Beach Post

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