When Kai Trump, granddaughter of President Donald Trump, was preparing to head to college, her choice of university became a major talking point. The 19-year-old after signing letter of intent in November 2025, eventually settled in the University of Miami in September this year. Just three months into her college journey, however, she appears to have already made a strong impression on her coach, Janice Olivencia. And it seems her famous last name has little to do with it.

“She’s a very big, important member of this team and an influential one, because they all respect her, they all think highly of her,” Olivencia told Golfweek. “She is very committed to what she wants to do, and she’s very committed to the team. You know, at practices, when she’s able to, she was full on, just as much as if she was the No. 1 player on the team.”

Olivencia’s praise comes as Trump’s fellow teammate and close friend Scarlett Schremmer made her LPGA debut at the Annika-driven by Gainbridge at Pelican. And it’s hard to debate why. While Schremmer posted a 1-under-69 in the opening round, Kai Trump spent much of the first round accompanying Olivencia outside the ropes. 

Before that, the 19-year-old had even carried Schremmer’s golf bag from the practice facility at Pelican. While helping teammates with their bags is fairly common in college golf, it is hardly mandatory. The gesture, however, offered another glimpse into the dedication Kai Trump has towards her team, something head coach Olivencia highlighted.

But Trump’s support for her teammate went well beyond carrying her golf bag. The 19-year-old made her LPGA debut at the Annika last year and received an invitation to compete in the tournament again this season. However, she turned down the opportunity, leaving a spot open for Schremmer, who got the chance to make her own LPGA debut.

In an earlier conversation, Schremmer revealed that Trump was the one who informed her about the invitation. She also helped her University of Miami teammate prepare for the big occasion, further highlighting her team-first attitude. However, there was a personal reason behind Trump’s decision to pass up the opportunity: her recurring left wrist injury.

The 19-year-old initially underwent surgery earlier in 2026 to repair damage to the stabilizing tissues of her ECU tendon and triangular fibrocartilage complex (TFCC). However, she aggravated the same wrist during her collegiate debut at the Golfweek Fall Classic in September after striking hard ground near a cart path.

Although she returned to competition at the Golfweek Put Me In Coach Invitational in early October, she required a second surgery. The setback has ruled her out for the remainder of the season, and she currently has no timeline for returning to practice. That said, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Kai Trump is dedicated to helping people close to her.

Trump helped her best friend, Emma Markin, overcome her long-standing fear of communicating with people. During a YouTube Q&A uploaded in February, Emma revealed that she once struggled to talk to both adults and people her own age. However, Kai took a strict approach to helping her overcome the anxiety. 

The 19-year-old regularly took Emma to social events and public outings, pushing her to interact with strangers and step outside her comfort zone. It seems that same caring, helpful, and supportive nature has followed Trump into college after graduating from The Benjamin School. 

Interestingly, however, her decision to attend the University of Miami was also influenced by several factors, further explaining her strong connection with the team. According to reports, Kai Trump was impressed by the university’s coaches and players. 

Its proximity to her South Florida home also made it an appealing choice. On top of that, with a couple of her cousins having attended the university, she felt it would be the right place to begin the next chapter of her career.