BELLEAIR, Fla. (AP) \u2014 Kai Trump is ready to live out her childhood dream in the spotlight.<\/p>\n
The granddaughter of President Donald Trump will be making her LPGA debut<\/a> this week in The Annika at Pelican Golf Club.<\/p>\n The 18-year-old high school senior already sounds like a pro. She handled a 12-minute news conference Tuesday with poise and maturity.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019m going to learn a lot no matter what happens,\u201d Kai Trump said. \u201cI\u2019m just going to go out there and have fun and see which way it goes. I\u2019m 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.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump began playing golf at age 2 and has committed to going to the University of Miami. She received one of the three sponsor exemptions for the tournament that are usually given to players who can help promote women\u2019s golf. Trump has more than 9 million followers on social media. WNBA star Caitlin Clark is also playing in the tournament in the pro-am.<\/p>\n \u201cSo the idea of the exemption, when you go into the history of exemptions, is to bring attention to an event,\u201d said Dan Doyle Jr., owner of Pelican Golf Club. \u201cShe\u2019s lovely to speak to and she brought a lot of viewers through Instagram and things like that that normally don\u2019t watch women\u2019s golf was the hopes, and we\u2019re seeing it now on Instagram and social media. So it\u2019s created a buzz on top of the other great players that we have here.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump played half the course with legendary golfer Annika Sorenstam, the tournament host, on Monday. Sorenstam mentioned how she received a controversial invitation to play on the PGA Tour in 2003 and that turned casual spectators into experts with strong opinions.<\/p>\n \u201cKai brings a lot of different people to the sport and we want people to hear about our tournament and be part of it,\u201d Sorenstam said. \u201cThe word is spreading and I think that\u2019s a good thing. Keep in mind, The ANNIKA Foundation is a beneficiary here, and we\u2019re all about providing and empowering our women. It really fits in our mission as well. We\u2019re really looking forward to the week.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump asked Sorenstam for a few tips while they were on the course together.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was amazing,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI 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\u2019s 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\u2019s a legend, so nice to play nine holes with her.\u201d <\/p>\n No, Kai\u2019s grandpa isn\u2019t coming to watch her play this weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s running the world right now, so a little busy,\u201d Trump said. \u201cTo me, he\u2019s just a normal grandpa. Always has been.\u201d<\/p>\n Yes, she\u2019s plays with President Trump but wouldn\u2019t reveal who wins.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s pretty good. We have some tight matches. Yeah, can\u2019t say much,\u201d she said. \u201cWe play a lot. We have a great time out there. We\u2019re always on the same team as well.\u201d<\/p>\n Grandpa\u2019s advice?<\/p>\n \u201cGo out there and have fun. Just don\u2019t get nervous,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Tiger Woods also gave Trump advice.<\/p>\n \u201cI mean, he is the best golfer in the entire world. I would say that. And even better person,\u201d she said. \u201cHe told me to go out there and have fun and just go with the flow. Whatever happens, happens.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s best finish was runner-up on a Hurricane Junior Tour event. She finished last (by 22 shots) at 52-over par at the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley. Currently. Trump is ranked No. 461 by the American Junior Golf Association.<\/p>\n \u201cI think what I love most about golf is that it\u2019s challenging. You\u2019re never going to be 100% and there is always something to work on,\u201d Trump said. \u201cI think that\u2019s kind of keeps on bringing me back to play golf and practice golf.\u201d<\/p>\n