Grounded free kick

[phansen]

On an onside kick with the ball on the tee, the kicker kicks the top of the ball driving the ball directly and immediately off the tee into the ground so it will take a high bounce. Can R fair catch?
I say it is a grounded kick and cannot be fair caught. A 25 yr white hat says because the ball is on the tee and the tee is touching the ground the ball driven immediately into the ground is not grounded because it hasn't left the ground yet, therefore it can be fair caught