Time is money, and so is attention. The LPGA desperately needs both and will get a healthy dose of the former at this week’s event, the Annika, but not just because a handful of the world’s best players, including defending champion Nelly Korda, are competing.
Additional attention will be paid to the events at the Pelican Golf Club by Kai Trump, the 18-year-old granddaughter of President Donald Trump, who has a place in the field through a sponsor invitation.
Trump’s LPGA debut – and the debate surrounding the invitation – perfectly illustrates the challenge facing the LPGA and new commissioner Craig Kessler.
The Annika is the penultimate event of the season before next week’s CME Group Tour Championship for the top 60 players. In theory, this week should be about building the tour to an exciting final featuring the game’s best players. In reality, most of the discussion around the tournament focused on Trump’s surprise invitation.
A look at Trump on paper tells you that this phase is one for which she is not prepared. Her Rolex AJGA ranking is 461. She is not in the top 3,000 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking. At the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley in the spring, Trump fired rounds of 89-79-83-89. She is committed to the University of Miami and dreams of one day playing on the LPGA.
Kai Trump is at the Pelican because of her last name, and because her huge social media following that eclipses 8 million across all platforms.
“Kai is an up and coming player,” tournament host Annika Sorenstam said on Golf Central on Golf Channel. “She is committed to Miami and has aspirations to play [on the LPGA]. I think she adds some excitement to it.
“She has a lot of followers on social media. She loves the game. It’s super exciting to have her there. That’s what this tournament is about: helping young girls achieve their dreams through the Annika Foundation. … So that’s kind of what this tournament is about. So super excited. There’s been a lot of talk and some attention that we’re excited about.”
Each tournament receives sponsor invitations. Sorenstam used hers on Wake Forest senior Anne-Sterre den Dunnen; title sponsor Gainbridge invited Northwestern All-American Lauryn Nguyen; and the club, which is owned by the Doyle family, invited Trump.
Big scores are likely in (and on) the cards for Trump, and there’s the potential for a circus-like atmosphere around her and her group, which could be a disadvantage for the players trying to fight their way into the top 60 for next week’s finals.
And yet… Trump’s invitation is also the kind of tactic the LPGA might need to gain prominence. You see, the conversation is what matters.
“I would imagine, since Tuesday’s announcement, that this is one of the most talked about women’s golf tournaments that has probably ever existed,” Justin Sheehan, chief operating officer of the Pelican, told GOLF’s Michael Bamberger. “It’s on news channels and sports channels. The social media impressions, they call it, are staggering. Love it or hate it, it gets people talking about the event.”
‘Getting people talking’: Kai Trump’s surprise LPGA invitation to achieve his goal
By means of:
Michael Bamberger
“We are on a mission to grow this game. Seeing the impact Caitlin had last year was quite eye-opening.”
Women’s golf has struggled to gain a foothold, build positive momentum and break into the larger sporting world. There are many reasons for this and many obstacles for Kessler to overcome as he begins his term.
Last year, Korda made a thrilling run. The then world number 1 won five consecutive tournaments, including a major, and ended the year with seven victories. Her exceptional play mirrored that of Scottie Scheffler on the men’s side and coincided with the surge that Caitlin Clark, who will play in the Annika pro-am for a second consecutive year, delivered to the WNBA.
But Korda’s historic season didn’t have the long-term impact the LPGA hoped for. Korda has not won this season, and only current world number 1 Jeeno Thitikul and Miyu Yamashita have won multiple tournaments. The LPGA has depth and equality, but a dominant superstar or superstars are what will expose the league to a new audience and deliver the growth the league strives for.
In an ideal world, the LPGA would have people tuning in this week to see Korda, Charley Hull, Lexi Thompson, Lottie Woad and Rose Zhang without needing a carrot as an entry point.
But sometimes creativity is needed to spark interest and generate momentum.
In that sense, having Kai Trump in the field, along with Clark playing in Wednesday’s pro-am, is the kind of marketing that might be needed. It will make the Annika one of the most talked-about LPGA events of the season and perhaps the top draw in recent years. If people who might not otherwise be involved with the LPGA tune in to watch Trump, there’s a chance they’ll stick around even after she leaves. The same goes for those who show up Wednesday to see Clark in the pro-am and get exposure for Korda and others.
“I don’t think it’s any different than any other tournament,” Sorenstam said. “You just want to get more people involved, more attention, as they said, and create excitement.”
The Kai Trump exemption is a Rorschach test.
On the one hand, there’s a clear argument that her current playing ability doesn’t make her worthy of a spot in the penultimate event of the LPGA season, with so much at stake for many players. Perhaps you are a golf purist who believes that sponsorship exemptions should not exist in the first place. Maybe her grandfather plays a role in how you feel about her appearance. It would be naive to think not. On the other hand, Kai Trump is a celebrity and celebrities attract attention, which can lead to growth and money. The LPGA needs to find a way to generate and continue to generate all of the above.
Your position on this issue ultimately depends on your view of the bigger picture for women’s golf and the opportunities you believe are available to solve the LPGA’s greatest riddle.
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