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BELLEAIR, FL — The 2025 LPGA Tour’s penultimate event, The ANNIKA driven by Gainbridge at Pelican, teed off on Thursday with a masterful performance from one veteran star and a highly-anticipated, if challenging, debut from a young amateur.
South Korea’s Haeran Ryu seized the first-round lead, while all eyes were fixed on the LPGA Tour debut of high school senior and sponsor invitee Kai Trump.
Ryu Sets the Pace with Flawless Back Nine
Haeran Ryu, already a three-time winner on the LPGA Tour, navigated the breezy conditions at Pelican Golf Club with precision, delivering a dominant round to top the leaderboard.
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Leaderboard Topper: Ryu posted a 6-under-par 64, capitalizing on a blistering stretch on her back nine that included four consecutive birdies from the 4th through the 7th holes.
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Mastering the Course: Ryu credited her success to strong tee-to-green play, noting, “My shot is good and putter is good and everything. I’m so happy to make a lot of birdies.”
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The Contenders: Ryu holds a one-stroke lead over Australia’s Grace Kim, who finished with a 5-under 65. American Jennifer Kupcho sits alone in third place after shooting a 4-under 66. A pack of established stars, including England’s Charley Hull, are a shot further back.
Defending champion and World No. 2 Nelly Korda had a steady, if quiet, opening round, recording 17 pars and a single bogey to finish with a 1-over 71.
The Headline Debut: Kai Trump’s LPGA Welcome
The largest gallery of the day followed amateur Kai Trump, the 18-year-old granddaughter of President Donald Trump, who was competing on a sponsor exemption in her first career LPGA start.
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A Challenging Welcome: Trump endured a difficult start, bogeying her first four holes and finishing the day with a 13-over 83, placing her last in the 108-player field.
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Nerves and Near Misses: The high school senior confessed to being “more nervous than I expected” and struggled to find rhythm, reaching only 7 of 18 greens in regulation. She showed impressive power off the tee but lamented that many good shots found “the wrong spots.”
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A Learning Experience: Despite the score, Trump handled the pressure and media attention with poise, stating, “I learned a lot. It was amazing. I had a great time out there.”
The tournament continues today, with Ryu looking to maintain her momentum against a deep field eager to climb the leaderboard on the second day.
Author Profile
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Bradley Walker serves as the Director of Operations for NGSC Sports, bringing extensive experience across collegiate, professional, and amateur athletics. His coverage spans USF Athletics, including football, baseball, lacrosse, and softball, as well as University of Tampa baseball.
Bradley also provides coverage of minor league baseball with the Clearwater Threshers and Major League Baseball with the Tampa Bay Rays. On the national stage, he covers college football bowl games and conference championship matchups, along with premier golf events across the PGA Tour, LIV Golf, and LPGA Tour.
In addition to his reporting work, Bradley is the play-by-play announcer for Pinellas Park High School Patriots football, lending his voice and insight to Friday night lights.
He is also an active podcast host and contributor, serving as a co-host on the P&W Sports Report and hosting The Walker Report, where he delivers in-depth sports analysis, interviews, and coverage across multiple levels of competition.
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