The 2026 ESPY Awards took over New York’s Lincoln Center on Wednesday, bringing in the biggest names in sports for one of the year’s marquee award shows. Kai Trump joined the guest list, stepping onto the red carpet in a custom gold gown as a rising college golfer building her own name in the sport. She will enter the University of Miami ahead of this season. Between the photos and the glamour, she stopped for an interview that featured a heartfelt question.

A reporter asked Kai who had inspired her most in the past year, and she was quick to provide an answer.

“Probably Tiger a lot. He’s inspired me a lot, just be a better person, be a better golfer, and stuff like that,” she shared. And when asked what it’s like to have him as a mentor, she chimed, “I mean, he’s amazing.”

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Tiger Woods and her mother, Vanessa Trump, have been the most talked-about couple in the sport since they made their relationship public last year. Kai Trump spends a lot of time with Tiger Woods, and her appreciation for him has not been a lone incident. Ahead of her LPGA debut at The Annika in November, she spoke at the press conference and credited his advice to go out, have fun, and not overthink the results. Months later, Kai was back in his corner in person, as she sat alongside her mother at the TGL finals in March to watch his return to competitive golf after a long injury layoff.

In regard to seeking comeback inspiration, Woods is hardly a bad choice. By 2017, Woods had plummeted to 656th in the Official World Golf Ranking thanks to numerous back injuries and a DUI arrest. Yet a year later, he gradually rediscovered his form and clinched an emotional victory at the 2018 Tour Championship in Atlanta. It was his first PGA Tour win in five years. Fans will also recall his remarkable win at the 2019 Masters, which came after he underwent multiple spinal fusions and back surgeries. That victory marked his 15th major title. However, there is more to his relationship with Kai than merely serving as an inspiration.

People has reported that Woods has grown especially close to Kai, specifically highlighting their shared world in golf as a part of what brought them together. Moreover, their warm bond has mattered more than usual this year. Woods spent time in Switzerland this spring for treatment following a DUI arrest. And since returning home in May, he has made supporting Vanessa through her breast cancer treatment his main focus.

As reported previously, Woods “has been amazing during Vanessa’s recent diagnosis.” Furthermore, he has supported her while addressing his own struggles. Amid that, he has made a point to extend his support to Kai Trump during her graduation. He was present at her ceremony and the dinner party with the entire Trump family.

Her conversation at the ESPY also shed light on a different kind of pressure, the one that comes with being under constant public scrutiny. Kai deemed it interesting rather than difficult and said that she stays grounded by keeping her circle small. She still attends events like the ESPYs, then prioritizes going home to her friends and family and living what she calls a normal life away from cameras.

Furthermore, her ESPY appearance came days before a bigger life shift. She graduated from high school this year and enrolled in the University of Miami this fall, where she will play on the women’s golf team. It follows a season that has already included a sponsor exemption in her LPGA debut at The Annika, where she got pre-tournament advice from both Woods and her grandfather, President Donald Trump.

Kai stays busy and on the mend before Miami

With high school behind her and college still weeks away, Kai has kept her summer full. Last month, she joined her grandfather, Donald Trump, and the rest of the Trump family for UFC Freedom 250. It was a mixed martial arts event held on the White House lawn on June 14 to mark Trump’s 80th birthday and America’s 250th anniversary. Kai posted a playful pre-fight face-off with UFC CEO Dana White ahead of the card, keeping her followers in the loop as she does with most of her life updates.

Kai has spent the last month spending more time with her family, as her mother and her medical team monitor cancer treatments. With that, she has also worked through her own injuries, including a left wrist surgery in January. Through Instagram, Kai has updated that she is now back on the course as she recovers from the setback.