Younger Australian golf stars Karl Vilips and Cassie Porter have earned promotions to the PGA Tour and the LPGA Tour respectively for 2025 after they survived brutal season-ending tournaments on the American secondary excursions to attain their lifelong goals.
Vilips completed nineteenth within the Korn Ferry Tour’s finish of standings to safe one of many 30 PGA Tour playing cards on provide and cap off a fast rise to the premier US tour since turning skilled in June, whereas Porter got here eleventh within the Epson Tour’s ‘Race to the Card’ to make sure one of many 15 LPGA Tour up for grabs was hers.
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Twenty-three-year-old Vilips adopted within the footsteps of Tiger Woods by enjoying collegiate golf for Stanford College in California – he graduated in Could – and he was even carrying Woods’ new ‘Solar Day Crimson’ line of garments on the Korn Ferry Tour Championship in Indiana.
Vilips can be a part of the brand new technology of golfers who rise to prominence on social media.
‘Koala Karl’ boasts nearly 40,000 subscribers on YouTube and his channel started greater than a decade in the past with movies displaying off his abilities at a younger age in addition to highlights from novice occasions he took half in.
The Melbourne born, West Australian has been a participant to observe coming via the ranks as he certified for final yr’s US Open to play in his first main, he twice received the US Youngsters World Championship and he competed within the Junior Presidents Cup in addition to representing Australian in worldwide novice occasions regardless of shifting to Florida in highschool.
He began skilled life with a bang, profitable his fourth occasion on the Korn Ferry Tour after ending runner-up the week prior.
He entered the Korn Ferry Tour Championship – his tenth begin of the season on the secondary US tour – off the again of two consecutive missed cuts however held his nerve to complete tied twentieth within the four-round event to keep up his high 30 place.
Now, Vilips looks like he is able to take it up the sport’s greatest together with his eye’s set not solely enjoying his method into the majors on the PGA Tour, but additionally is set to at some point characterize Australia on the Olympic Video games.
In an interview following his maiden Korn Ferry Tour triumph, Vilips confirmed that he has the self-confidence to chase these goals.
“We at all times say ‘I’m adequate to do it’. It’s only a matter of after I’m going to do it,” he stated.
“Once I stepped out on the course the primary week (on the Korn Ferry Tour), the primary one I certified for, I used to be assured in my talents to compete.
“I felt I had the sport. I felt like I used to be prepared.”
For Porter, it has been a barely longer journey to the highest flight of ladies’s golf albeit she was additionally a prodigiously proficient junior.
The Queenslander turned skilled in 2021 at simply 18 years of age after representing Australia as an novice and plied her commerce on the WPGA Tour of Australasia earlier than heading to America final yr.
In her maiden season on the Epson Tour, Porter managed two high ten finishes from 17 begins to take dwelling simply US$32,700 for the yr, however her second season has been extra fruitful.
She picked up her first victory on the secondary US tour in June and registered one other three high ten finishes to position her in eleventh within the Race to the Card initially of the Epson Tour Championship.
Porter’s standing put her in a nervy place on the season-ending event in California, however she maintained a cool head to complete tied for seventeenth at nine-under par throughout 72 holes.
“I’ve dreamed about this since I used to be slightly lady so for it to be actual – so quickly – I’m stoked,” Porter stated.
“I’m really actually struggling to imagine it. We’ve labored for this for thus lengthy. Even after I completed on 18 as we speak, I had no thought.
“In my mind I used to be like ‘there’s no method I’m making high ten, so excited for high 15 however there’s no probability (of high ten). However as issues progressed, we made it.
“I nonetheless can’t imagine it. Hopefully it sinks in quickly.”
The addition of two of Australia’s best younger abilities expands the Australian assault on America’s excursions.
Vilips will be part of Adam Scott, Jason Day, Min Woo Lee and Cam Davis as Australians with PGA Tour playing cards for 2025, whereas the likes of Aaron Baddeley and Harrison Endycott – who had been demoted to the Korn Ferry Tour – could function in some occasions in the event that they play properly in Monday qualifying.
As for the LPGA Tour, the season doesn’t finish till subsequent month, however Porter provides to a powerful Australian contingent.
Hannah Inexperienced, Minjee Lee, Gabriela Ruffels, Grace Kim and Steph Kyriacou all rank inside the highest 70 on this planet, whereas Hira Naveed, Sarah Kemp, Robyn Choi and Karis Davidson have all featured usually on ladies’s golf’s premier tour this yr.
“They’ve pathed such a tremendous path for all of us and all we wish to do is comply with of their footsteps,” Porter stated.
“I believe Hannah, Minjee, Gracie, Steph and Gabbi – profitable 3 times final yr on the Epson Tour – they’re all superb position fashions and I’m so excited to hitch them and be like ‘hey ladies, we’re all LPGA, that is actually cool’.”