They say “drive for show, putt for dough,” and this week, Belleair, Florida, has both on display. The Annika Driven by Gainbridge tournament returns to the Pelican Golf Club, bringing world-class talent and celebrity flair. As 120 top golfers compete for a $3.25 million purse, the spotlight first lands on the star-studded pro-am stealing early headlines.

WNBA superstar Caitlin Clark is back for her second straight pro-am appearance, once again energizing the event with her presence. Joining her this year is 17-year-old Kai Madison Trump, granddaughter of President Donald Trump. A University of Miami golf commit, Kai earned a sponsor exemption to play in the event, making her LPGA debut and stepping onto one of golf’s celebrity stages.

Kai Trump shared her thoughts ahead of her first LPGA tee time, expressing excitement and perspective beyond her years. “I’m just going to go out there, have fun, see which way it goes,” Trump said. “I’m going to take a lot away from it honestly — playing with the best players, it’s going be cool to actually be inside the ropes with them, playing with them.”

While the event was already gaining traction with CC’s involvement, the news of POTUS’s granddaughter, Kai Trump, playing alongside Pelican owner Dan Doyle Jr. brought additional media attention. Playing among the sport’s top professionals marks a major step for the 17-year-old, and her appearance has quickly become one of the tournament’s biggest talking points alongside Caitlin Clark’s return to the pro-am.

Kai Trump also took a moment to praise Caitlin Clark’s impact on women’s sports. “What Caitlin is doing for women’s basketball is amazing,” Trump said during her pre-tournament media session. Even Caitlin Clark shared her excitement about returning to the event after a memorable debut last year. “I had an amazing time at The Annika last November and participating in the Pro Am alongside Nelly Korda and Annika Sorenstam, two of the best in the game.”

For CC, though, at just 23, coming back as a Gainbridge ambassador, the sponsor of both the tournament and her Indiana Fever team, should make her feel more special and meaningful. The pro-am round where Clark played was open to the public with general admission tickets starting at $25 (free for kids U-17, military, and first responders). Clark’s group teed off at 8:30 in the morning local time, playing her first nine holes with Nelly Korda.

Her Indiana Fever teammates Sophie Cunningham and Lexie Hull joined her as guest caddies for the day, adding to the basketball-themed fun on the golf course. But as the spotlight shone brighter on the stars, something about this year’s crowd energy felt noticeably different.

Caitlin Clark headlines the Annika Pro-Am, but the atmosphere tells another story

Despite the high-profile names, the atmosphere at the pro-am showed a noticeable difference from the previous year. Golf journalist Beth Ann Nichols captured the scene on social media, writing, “Caitlin Clark’s first tee shot at The Annika! Good crowd out here.” She then added a key observation, noting, “Think it was better last year though.”

 While the crowd did look thin for a moment, sources from the event do highlight that the crowd was big enough, and the one seen in the video might not be an accurate representation.

The event organizers had heavily promoted Clark’s return, hoping to replicate the success of her first outing. Last year, tournament host Annika Sorenstam had specifically credited Clark with introducing more fans to women’s golf. The previous pro-am, which featured Clark, Sorenstam, and Korda together, was described as a great day for women’s sports that drew amazing crowds.

This year’s pro-am was still a bustling event with plenty of fan activity. Spectators had access to the grounds starting at six forty-five in the morning to watch the action. Golf Channel provided live television coverage of the pro-am for three hours, giving a national audience a chance to see both Clark and the professional golfers in a relaxed setting.

The inclusion of both Caitlin Clark and Kai Trump was seen by some as a strategic move to boost interest in the LPGA Tour. With a recognized need for star power to attract viewers, the tournament leveraged Clark’s massive national profile and the curiosity surrounding the presidential granddaughter’s professional golf debut to generate buzz and media coverage for the women’s golf event.