Kai Trump and Charlie Woods, two rising stars in junior golf, are competing in one of the most prestigious youth tournaments in the world-the Junior Invitational at Sage Valley Golf Club in South Carolina. Both players, who represent Benjamin School, entered the event among a highly competitive field, aiming to test their skills against the best junior golfers from around the globe.
Trump, the granddaughter of U.S. President Donald J. Trump, and Woods, the son of golf icon Tiger Woods, have gained attention not only for their famous family ties but also for their growing reputations as emerging talents in the sport.
However, the opening round proved to be a challenge for both young golfers as they attempted to establish themselves on the leaderboard.
An uphill battle after the first round
The tournament, which spans four days, began on Wednesday, and both Trump and Woods faced early struggles on the course. Woods, competing in the boys’ division, shot a 6-over-par 78, placing him in 32nd out of 36 competitors.
His round featured a mix of highs and lows, including two birdies, six bogeys, and a costly double bogey on the par-5 eighth hole, which quickly shifted his momentum from 1-under to 1-over.
Meanwhile, Trump had an even tougher start in the girls’ division, posting a 17-over-par 89 that left her at the bottom of the 24-player field. Despite managing one birdie, her round was plagued by seven bogeys, two double bogeys, a triple bogey, and a quadruple bogey, making it an uphill climb for her as the tournament progresses.
With the second round set to begin on Thursday morning, both players will look to rebound and improve their standings as they gain more experience on one of junior golf’s biggest stages. Official tee times and pairings for the second round had not been released as of Wednesday night.
While Woods and Trump work to recover from their opening rounds, New Zealand’s Joshua Bai surged to the top of the boys’ leaderboard with an impressive 5-under-par performance. In the girls’ division, Thailand’s Pimpisa Rubrong and Canada’s Aphrodite Deng set the pace at 2-under. Defending champion Asterisk Talley found herself in 15th place after an opening-round 77 (+5).
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