Kai Trump is undergoing stem cell treatment after reinjuring her wrist during her highly anticipated college golf debut.
The 19-year-old granddaughter of President Donald Trump suffered the setback while competing for the University of Miami at the Golfweek Fall Challenge in South Carolina.
Kai said the injury occurred after she struck the ground near a cart path and immediately felt a shock travel through her arm.
“Let’s just say there must have been some cart path underneath that ground because it was very hard,” she said while describing the moment.
Despite the pain, Kai continued playing.
The situation became more concerning several holes later when she hit her driver and felt something go wrong in the same wrist.
“Then on the tenth hole, I hit my driver, and I felt like I tore it again,” Kai said.
The scare was particularly significant because Kai had already undergone surgery on the wrist earlier this year.
That operation addressed damage involving her triangular fibrocartilage complex, along with stabilizing tissues surrounding the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon.
Kai had hoped the procedure would allow her to begin her freshman golf season without pain.
Testing following the tournament, however, delivered some encouraging news.
Doctors determined that Kai had not completely torn the previously repaired area.
She described the new damage as a “little sliver” involving cartilage and ligaments inside her wrist.
More importantly, Kai said another operation will not be necessary at this point.
Instead, she has turned to stem cell injections as part of her recovery.
Kai documented the treatment in a video and identified it as Dezawa MuseCells, which were administered by pain management specialist Dr. Jeffrey Weigers.
The treatment represents the latest step in her attempt to recover quickly enough to return to competitive golf.
Despite suffering the injury, Kai managed to complete all three rounds of the Golfweek Fall Challenge.
She eventually finished tied for 102nd place in a field of 120 competitors.
The final result came while she was dealing with wrist pain that affected her performance at Caledonia Golf and Fish Club, per the Conservative Brief.
Kai committed to the University of Miami in 2024 after establishing herself as a competitive junior golfer.
Miami coach Janice Olivencia previously described her as a developing player who would bring energy and excitement to the Hurricanes program.
Kai entered college with significantly more attention than the average freshman athlete because of both her family name and her large social media following.
She is the eldest daughter of Donald Trump Jr. and Vanessa Trump and is President Trump’s eldest grandchild.
Kai gained broader national attention when she spoke about her grandfather during the 2024 Republican National Convention.
Her golf career has also continued to develop.
She previously won club championships at Trump International Palm Beach and built a competitive handicap before joining Miami.
Kai also made her LPGA Tour debut last November, becoming the youngest golfer in that tournament’s field.
Her move into college athletics has come with challenges beyond golf.
Kai has openly documented leaving her home in Jupiter, Florida, and adjusting to life away from her family and friends.
She admitted that the transition made her unusually emotional.
“I’m not a very emotional person at all, so this is like really weird for me to cry,” she said.
The wrist injury now adds another obstacle during the opening stages of her college career.
Avoiding another surgery could give Kai a chance to return sooner than originally feared, though her timetable will depend on how the wrist responds to treatment.
Miami is scheduled to compete in the Ruth’s Chris Tar Heel Invitational beginning Oct. 16 in North Carolina.
That leaves Kai several weeks to continue treatment, monitor the injury and determine whether she can safely resume swinging a golf club.
For now, her return to competition remains dependent on her recovery and whether the damaged wrist can handle the demands of tournament golf.
