BELLEAIR, Florida When Craig Kessler drove out of the parking lot at Pelican Golf Club on Wednesday, he rolled down the window and said to tournament host Annika Sorenstam, great event, just, how do we capitalize on this?
Sorenstam noted that Dan Towriss, president and CEO of Group 1001, the parent company of Gainbridge, asked the same later that afternoon.
I dont have the answer, said Sorenstam, but were somehow feeling it a little bit. But how do we turn it into our product? And how do we draw the attention?
The tour could start by putting out more than one post of Kai Trump in two days on their social media feeds. Trump nearly made a hole-in-one on Friday and, six hours later, there wasn’t a clip of it to be found. Eventually, a short montage of Trump was posted on the circuit’s X account, but hours after the hype hit its peak.
How can the strategy of a celebrity player perhaps the most well-known player in the field be to treat her like any other sponsor exemption (i.e., not show her)? Trump wasn’t there because of her playing record; she was there to help draw attention to the tournament.
For a tour that struggles to go viral, a strong social media strategy from all corners of the event including the tour seems vital.
The presence of Caitlin Clark in the Wednesday pro-am and Trump in the 108-player field at The Annika driven by Gainbridge at Pelican transformed a fall afterthought in the sports world into national news.
Those concerned that Year 2 of Clark in the pro-am field wouldnt have as much of an impact can rest easy knowing that Wednesday saw a 30 percent increase onsite year-over-year from 2024 in a blended average of attendees, merchandise, concessions and parking, according to tournament officials.
Thursdays onsite numbers with President Donald J. Trumps eldest granddaughter playing her first competitive round saw a 60 percent increase from 2024.
For the first 3 ½ days of the tournament, audience reach impressions (print, TV, radio, digital) were over 3 billion, close to last years total for the full week.
We had great crowds these past few days, said Olivia Cowan, who played with Trump on Thursday and Friday, and we just have to build off that, and not let these moments go.
I think we need to do more outside of golf. Its obviously quite hard to get a lot of eyeballs on us, but its growing, and were getting closer. And today, having her out here these two days and having the people coming out to watch, has definitely improved that.
Trump certainly held up her end of the bargain, far surpassing the expectations of most with her play. One sports book had her over/under for Round 1 at 92.5, based off a junior golf record that is exceptionally thin compared to most.
Trump, 18, matched her AJGA scoring average on Thursday at Pelican with an opening 13-over 83. She was far less nervy on Friday, however, pouring in four birdies over the course of the round including a near ace with a tight draw on the par-3 12th for a 75.
She told her caddie, longtime family friend Allan Kournikova, that she would keep the Lamborghini Urus that was up for grabs but later changed her mind, saying he could have it. Alas, the ball burned the high side of the cup, and she settled for an easy birdie.
Kournikova, the younger brother of tennis star Anna Kournikova, was once a strong junior player in his own right, winning three U.S. Kids Golf World Championship titles from 2011 to 2015. Hes a big believer in Trumps talent, calling it raw.
When we were walking off the green, I said, ‘could you imagine if you did this every week, just how comfortable you’d be?’ said Kournikova after the round. I mean, these girls come here, it’s like a 9 to 5 for them.
Trump admitted that nerves got to her in the first round but said she felt calm and peaceful on Friday. When her grandfather calls, the first thing she plans to tell him is that she hit a great shot into the difficult par-4 18th two days in a row, striping a 3-wood both days onto a green thats protected by water.
I did everything I could possibly have done for this tournament, said Trump when asked about her takeaways from the week. I think if you prepare right the nerves can, I mean, they’re always going to be there, right? They can be a little softened, so I would just say that.
Charley Hull had plans to play with Trump on Tuesday, but travel delays from England caused her to miss the practice round. Hull, like many others on tour, called the Pelican one of the toughest courses the tour plays all year. She was impressed with Trumps efforts and pleased to see her in the field.
I think it’s good because golf is hard for people to just turn on and watch if you haven’t watched it before, said Hull. So having that kind of interest of people playing who don’t play the sport, big names, coming in, playing the pro-ams, is good for the event and good for the organizers and stuff because, I think any publicity is good publicity, I suppose.
On Thursday, The Annika saw a 64 percent increase in media coverage year-over-year from 2024, with 1.08 billion impressions.
And that was with only one hole of Trumps round in the television coverage window.
Natalie Gulbis has played in 650 professional events and said nothing has made her more nervous than speaking at the Republican National Convention in 2015, joking that she could barely remember her own name. At her own first press conference as a junior, Gulbis recalled barely lifting her eyes above her hat, she was so nervous.
Theres no question that Kai Trump thrives on a stage, though not in an attention-hogging kind of way. Shes comfortable being in front of the world.
She was fearless and confident and inspiring, said Gulbis of the RNC speech that launched Kai Trump into global fame, and I thought, ‘oh my gosh, her future is limitless.’
Trump heads to the University of Miami next fall for college golf, but first, there could be more AJGA events and USGA qualifiers.
The president of the United States has a granddaughter who dreams of one day playing on the LPGA. For a sport that hasnt had a bona fide star thats a household name since Michelle Wie West its a rare gift.
The womens game would do well to welcome her with open arms.
This article originally appeared on Golfweek: LPGA: Kai Trump brought audience, but tour didn’t capitalize