2 ways to think about Kai Trump’s LPGA invitation

Time is money, and therefore attention. The LPGA desperately needs both, and is set to receive a healthy dose of the event of the week, Annika, but not only because a number of the best players in the world, including defending champion Nelly Nelly, tend to it.

Bringing more eye cases to the Pelican Golf Club will be Kai Trump, Grandson of President Donald Trump, who has a place on the course in the form of a sponsor.

Trump’s LPGA DUT – and the controversy surrounding the invitation – perfectly illustrates the challenge the LPGA and new Commissioner Craig Kessler face.

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 the build-up to the Tour Finale focusing on the top players in the game. In fact, much of the discussion surrounding this contest has focused on Trump’s surprising position.

Looking at Trump on paper tells you that this category is one he is wrong about. His Rolex Ajga rank is 461. He is not in the top 3,000 in the world of Amateur golf. Instead of being invited to the Senior Village in China, Trump fired Rounds of 89-79-83-89. He is committed to the University of Miami and dreams of playing in the LPGA one day.

Kai Trump is a pelican because of his last name, and because of his huge social media following with 8 million followers across all platforms.

“Kai is an up and coming player. “He is committed to Miami, and he has ambitions to play [on the LPGA]. I think you add some excitement to it.

“He has a lot of followers on social media. He loves the game. It’s great to have him there. So this is a lot of empire around him.

All competitions are offered by the invitation of sponsors. Sorenstam used hers on Wake Forest Senior Anne-Sterre Den Dunnen; Title to Watch Sponsor Gloubridge invited Northwest All-American Lauryn Nguyen; And the club, owned by the Doyle family, invited Trump.

Big scores are possible (also in) Trump cards, and there can be forces in the atmosphere of the circus that will build around him and his team, which can cause players to try to play in high ways for the next week.

And yet … Trump’s invitation is also the kind of strategy the LPGA may need to reveal. You see, the conversation is the point.

“I thought, since Tuesday’s announcement, that this is one of the most talked about golf tournaments – the most related to you there may have been,” said Justin Sheehan, general manager of the Pelican, told Michael Bamberger’s golf. “It’s on the news channels and the sports channels. The social media prominence numbers, I think they call it expensive, surprising or hateful, get people to talk about the event.

“We are in an opportunity to grow this game. Seeing the impact Caitlin had last year was eye-opening.”

Women’s golf has fought to gain foosontod, build positive momentum and overtake the major sports world. There are many reasons for that and many challenges Kessler has overcome as he begins his tenure.

Last year, Korda went on a light run. The-World No. 1 won five straight tournaments, including the major, and finished the year with seven wins. Sheffler is a different Scottie on the men’s side and is accompanied by the power surge of Caitlin Clark, who will play in the Annaika Pro-am for the WNBA.

But Korda’s historic moment didn’t have the long-term impact the LPGA had hoped for. Korda did not win this season, and only in the current world No. 1 Jeeno Thitikul and Miyu Yamashita received many championships. The LPGA has depth and abundance, but a powerful superstar or superstars is what will put the league in front of a new audience and bring the growth the league is looking for.

In an ideal world, the LPGA would enable people to tune in this week to see Korda, Charley Hull, Lottie Thompson, Lottie Awowa

But creativity is sometimes needed to measure interest and generate momentum.

In that sense, having Kai Trump in the field, and Clark playing in the Pro-Am-am on Wednesday, is the kind of marketing that would be needed. It will make the Annika One of the most talked about events – in terms of LPGA events of the season and perhaps the top draw in the last number of years. If people who may not be able to do otherwise and LPGA tune in to watch Trump, there is a chance that it will stick even after it comes out. The same goes for those who came out on Wednesday to watch Clark in the Pro-Am and show off Korda and others.

“I don’t think it’s any different than any other tournament,” Sorenstam said. “You just want to bring more people to it, more eyebrows as they say and create excitement.”

Kai Trump’s pardon is a rearschach test.

On the other hand, there is a clear argument that his current playing ability makes the place uneven in the event of the removal of the lpga era the LPGA era, more in the line of many players. Maybe you’re a golf fanatic who doesn’t believe sponsor exemptions should exist at all. Maybe his grandfather plays a role in how he feels about his appearance. It would be foolish to think he didn’t say it. On the other hand, Kai Trump is a celebrity and celebrities bring attention, which can lead to growth and money. LPGA needs to find a way to produce and continue to do all of the above.

Your position on this issue ultimately depends on your view of the bigger picture of women’s golf and the benefits you believe are available to solve the LPGA’s biggest conundrum.