Kai Trump’s Road Back From Wrist Surgery

Kai Trump stepped away from her golf clubs in November 2025, then underwent wrist surgery two months later. The operation fixed torn tendons that kept her hand unstable.

Three months after the surgery, she played a relaxed round with her dad, Donald Trump Jr. During their game, she gave fans an honest look at when she might return to full play.

“I’m hoping by July I can start playing again full‑time,” she said in a YouTube clip. “I used to aim for my birthday, May 12th.”
She can still putt 18 holes but she can’t hit a shot yet.

Even when chipping, Kai followed her physical therapist’s rule of no more than 15 balls. She managed to chip over seven times and seemed genuinely happy on the course.

The surgery, performed by Dr. Thomas Graham at Lehigh Valley Orthopedic Institute, repaired her ECU tendon and triangular fibrocartilage complex. Recovery was expected to take about a month, but the healing took longer and felt tougher.

She admitted that the first month was mentally hard because she couldn’t do simple tasks—showering, eating, opening a bottle. Her mom helped her through it.

By mid‑March she was back training for the University of Miami golf season, but she’s not rushing. She still feels competitive fire and said, “When I can hit again, we’re going to go on a tear.”

Her confidence has roots. In November 2025 she played in her first LPGA Tour event, The Annika at Pelican Golf Club, and missed the cut. She also competed in a Junior Invitational in March 2025 and watched the Masters in April 2026.

July is her target, but another health scare popped up during the Masters. A simple change to a hand soap she used for makeup removal caused a severe allergic reaction, leaving her neck swollen and requiring an emergency steroid shot.

She first blamed her makeup, buying new products before realizing the soap was the culprit. Skincare experts later pointed out that applying foundation directly from the bottle can spread bacteria and irritate skin.

Despite setbacks, Kai is taking her recovery step by step—literally one chip at a time—and she remains determined to return to the green.