Kai Trump’s difficult start to college golf has come with another setback: renewed pain in the wrist she had surgically repaired earlier this year.
The 19-year-old University of Miami freshman says she hurt her wrist during her first collegiate tournament, describing a jolt through her arm after striking unusually hard ground near a cart path.
“I kinda had an injury to my wrist during the tournament, my first college tournament,” she said in a social media video quoted by The Daily Beast.
“Hit it, it felt like a shock on my arm. Then on the tenth hole, I hit my driver, and I felt like I tore it again,” she continued.
Wearing a brace, President Donald Trump’s granddaughter said the damage was not a complete tear and would not require another operation. She described a small injury involving her triangular fibrocartilage complex, or TFCC. Those details reflect her account, rather than an independently released medical assessment.
The update follows a bruising introduction to college competition.
Trump finished tied for 102nd in a field of 120 at the Golfweek Fall Challenge, which concluded September 8 in Pawleys Island, South Carolina. The tournament venue’s official recap confirms her three-round total of 235—25 strokes behind women’s winner Miah Rivas of Campbell.
Trump competed as an individual representing Miami, rather than contributing to a Miami team score. The event also challenged much of the field: only four women finished below par.
For Trump, the wrist trouble carries added significance because she had already spent months working toward a return.
On January 7, 2026, she announced surgery on her left wrist to address damage involving the tissues stabilizing her ECU tendon and her TFCC. At the time, she expressed hope that rehabilitation would allow her to play without pain.
The TFCC helps stabilize and cushion the wrist on its little-finger side, according to the American Society for Surgery of the Hand. Injuries can cause pain, weakness and restricted movement—problems that can complicate gripping and swinging a golf club. Symptoms and treatment needs vary from person to person.
The Daily Beast also reported that Trump’s video showed a visit for treatment she described as involving stem cells, with a caption naming Dezawa MuseCells.
That should not be mistaken for evidence that the treatment has repaired her wrist. The FDA’s consumer guidance states that regenerative medicine therapies have not been approved for orthopedic conditions. The information reviewed does not establish the precise product, clinical circumstances or outcome of Trump’s treatment.
Her college debut was not her first encounter with a demanding tournament field.
In November 2025, Trump entered The ANNIKA on a sponsor invitation while still an amateur. She shot an opening 83 followed by a 75, improving by eight strokes but finishing last in the 108-player field and missing the cut. Playing in the LPGA event did not mean she had turned professional. Readers can watch her second-round highlights on the LPGA’s official website.
Miami’s coaches, meanwhile, recruited her with development in mind.
In its November 2025 signing announcement, the university highlighted several junior results, including a runner-up finish at the 2024 Martin County Junior Open and top-10 finishes in other competitions.
Coach Janice Olivencia praised her competitive drive and commitment to improving.
“Kai has big goals for Canes Golf, with the work ethic to match,” Olivencia said.
Away from competition, Trump has also described an emotional adjustment to college. In the YouTube footage quoted by The Daily Beast, she spoke about crying before leaving home and returning to Jupiter after developing strep throat during her first week.
Now, the immediate question is how the renewed wrist problem will affect her ability to practice and compete. The injury account provided no firm return timetable, leaving her next step on the course uncertain.
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Must be embarrassing to have a corrupt grandaddy