THE MODERATOR: Afternoon everybody, welcome to th Pelican Golf Club and the 2025 The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican.
As our first pre-tournament press conference for the week, in with us is one of our three sponsor invitations, Kai Trump. Kai, so let's talk about you competing this week.
So just simple question: How excited are you to be here and to be playing in your first LPGA Tour event and to be playing alongside and against players that you have watched growing up and idolized growing up?
KAI TRUMP: It's an honor. I would like to thank the LPGA and the Doyle family for the opportunity. I'm looking forward to it. It's really cool to say that I'm playing my first LPGA event and I'm only a senior in high school. It's pretty cool.
Q. You've practiced a little bit. You played the course yesterday. What's your initial thoughts of the golf course?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, I mean, it's beautiful. It's in perfect condition. The greens are pretty tough but the actual layout, it's really nice. Looking forward to it.
Q. In yesterday's pro-am you were able to play with Annika on your back nine. First time you played with Annika; second time you met. Talk about that experience, just walking the nine with Annika Sorenstam.
KAI TRUMP: I mean, it was amazing. I asked her a few questions about her swing and what I should maybe do differently. I just asked her questions around the greens, too, because around these greens it's tough and you can hit different shots into them and what her opinion would be on some of those shots.
It was really cool meeting her. She's a legend, so nice to play nine holes with her.
Q. You're a commit the University of Miami. You actually signed with Miami. So your excitement of looking forward to continuing your golf career in Miami this fall.
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, I'm looking forward to it obviously. It's been a dream of mine to compete at the college level and then obviously at the next level, the LPGA eventually.
Looking forward to it. It's cool so say I signed and it's official and everything, but I'm looking forward to go there and the fall and just playing for them.
Q. Regardless of the outcome, regardless of how many days you're out here, what do you think you'll be able to take from this? What will this mean to you going forward?
KAI TRUMP: Obviously I think I'm going to learn a lot no matter what happens. I'm just going to go out there and have fun and see which way it goes.
I'm going to take a lot away from it. Obviously competing with the best players is going to be cool. To be inside the ropes with them playing with them, learning what kind of shots they hit, what do they do on the course.
So, yeah, just looking forward to it and playing with the best.
Q. You talked about growing up watching some of these girls out here play. Anybody you met or have seen this week from afar you've been like, oh, my gosh I can't believe that's Nelly Korda or Lexi Thompson or any of those kind if athletes?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, so in the morning I think maybe yesterday, I saw Nelly on the range. I think that was pretty cool. She was definitely up before me, but it was really cool seeing her.
All these players out here are amazing and they're all good at what they do, and it's just really cool to be inside the ropes with them and be on the range with them.
I think I'm going to learn a lot from watching them play throughout week. It's been amazing so far.
Q. Just wanted to take you back in time. When you first started playing golf, what was it that kind of hooked you, made you want to come back? Any standout memories, like first birdie or close to par or something that kept you going in the game?
KAI TRUMP: I started when I was two years old playing golf. Started golf and tennis when I was two years old, and my mom brought us to the course every single weekend in the summer.
I think what I loved most about golf is that it's challenging. You're never going to be 100% and there is always something to work on. I think that's kind of keeps on bringing me back to play golf and practice golf.
I was very young so I don't know when I first birdied or first whatever, but, I mean, I would say first favorite memory is probably playing the Drive, Chip & Putt maybe in 2011-ish. I think that was definitely the cool memory, one of the first tournaments I remember playing in and I still remember to this day.
Q. This is obviously your first LPGA start. What would you say was your biggest tournament before this week and what particular lessons did you learn at that tournament that could help you this week?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, my biggest tournament was the Junior Invitational. I didn't play so well but I think I learned a lot in that tournament not playing well. Just I learned a lot about my game, what I have to work on, where I have to be.
And I would say that was the biggest one and that's really the one I learned the most from in my golf so far.
Q. Where do you get your confidence from? Talking with coaches who have seen you play, they're pretty impressed by that most of all. Where do you feel like that comes from?
KAI TRUMP: Good question. I don't know. Just the way I was raised. I was around a lot of people and you had to talk to them. Yeah, that's where I got my confidence from. And my parents, too.
Q. How do you do against gramps in golf?
KAI TRUMP: He's pretty good. He's pretty good.
Q. Is he?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, he's pretty good. We have some tight matches. Yeah, can't say much. Yeah, we have some tight matches.
Q. Have you beat him yet?
KAI TRUMP: I'll leave that up to you to decide. I don't know. We play a lot. We have a great time out there. We're always on the same team as well.
Q. Love your grandpa.
KAI TRUMP: Thank you. Appreciate it.
Q. Obviously you're living out a dream, a childhood dream to get to this level. What would you say to other young girls who were pursuing a dream in any sport or anything in life to encourage and inspire them?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, at times it's tough, but keep on working, working hard; eventually you'll get there. I would say that.
Q. Curious how much if it at all have you watched Caitlin Clark and her game? What's it like being another individual in sports that's inspiring young girls to pursue it?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, what Caitlin is doing for women's basketball is amazing. She's a great role model to many people out there. I'm very lucky that people also look up to me in that way in golf.
I'm just trying to grow women's sports and just try to grow it as much as I possibly can. What Caitlin and Annika are doing, it's amazing.
Q. Just curious who you work on your game with? Did your grandfather give you any advice for this week?
KAI TRUMP: Well, I kind of -- I know my game pretty well so I have a few people watch things over. I don't really work with anyone right now at the moment.
And my grandpa pretty much told me go out there and have fun. Just don't get nervous. Try my best not to.
Q. And I know you obviously spent time around Tiger Woods. What's his influence been like on your game? Similarly, did he give you any advice for the week?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, I mean, he is the best golfer in the entire world. I would say that. And even better person. He told me to go out there and have fun and just go with the flow. Whatever happens, happens.
Q. Regarding the groundbreaking content on social media with your golf adventures and playing with grandpa, curious what's content plan is for this week and what are you most excited to show your social media followers with your participation in the tournament?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, I'm just going to show them the process. I started filming some stuff maybe two weeks ago ramping up to the LPGA event, and just going to show them how it is and just the behind the scenes of how the tournament goes.
Q. Is that the coldest nine holes you played before this morning?
KAI TRUMP: It was pretty cold. I've played in colder, but it was pretty cold.
Q. How would you evaluate your own game? What are your strengths and weaknesses?
KAI TRUMP: I would say my strengths are definitely ball striking. 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.
I would say that's a weakness of mine.
Q. What made you choose the University of Miami to play college golf?
KAI TRUMP: I love the coaches. It's close to home. Great school. I love the people there. My cousins went there as well, so I know people that have gone there. You know, it's a great university and I'm looking forward playing for them.
Q. What's it like being the granddaughter of the President of the United States and is he going to be here this weekend?
KAI TRUMP: No. He's not coming this weekend. He's running the world right now, so a little busy. To me he's just a normal grandpa. Always has been.
It's nothing -- I would just say it's like having a normal grandpa. There is nothing different I would say. It's pretty cool obviously, but to me it's just normal.
Q. Can you take us through the process of when you found out that you had received this invitation to compete, and what was that process of considering whether or not to accept it?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, I found out maybe month ago, two months ago. Yeah, that was a great opportunity. Obviously I'm very lucky to be playing in this event.
Took it in a heartbeat and just been practicing a lot ever since.
Q. Can you share some of the advice that Annika shared with you when you were playing?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, same as everyone else: Just go out there, have fun. Just enjoy it, because obviously you don't have the first -- you're not playing your first-ever event ever again. So just go enjoy it and just have fun out there.
Q. Wanted to ask about your caddie, Allan. He won on the AJGA few years back. What has your friendship been like and how do you think he'll fare as a caddie this week?
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, I mean, I grew up with Allan. Been playing golf with him since I was very, very little. Family friend. There is no one else I would want on the bag besides him. He obviously knows golf. He's a great golfer. I thought he would be a great choice because at the same time I also know knew game as well, so if I can have a friend on the bag and a great golfer just going to make my time out there so much better.
So I would say that, yeah.
THE MODERATOR: One last question. What's that first tee going to be like for you on Thursday in your first LPGA event?
KAI TRUMP: I mean, definitely going to be nervous. Yeah, just looking forward to it honestly. I think it's more of a nervous-excitement. Definitely a nervous-excitement.
So just going to go out there, have fun, take a deep breath before I hit the shot, and go from there.
THE MODERATOR: All right, Kai, thank you. Kai Trump. One of our sponsor invites. Thank you very much and good luck this week.
KAI TRUMP: Yeah, thank you guys. Appreciate it.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports