Melbourne, Australia: Kirsten Rudgeley will make her first start as a professional golfer at this week’s ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

Rudgeley, who hails from Mount Lawley Golf Club in Perth, has been a prolific amateur representing Australia at the World Amateur Team Championship and Queen Sirikit Cup and holding a Karrie Webb Scholarship for the past two years.

At the fourth Women’s Amateur Asia-Pacific (WAAP) championship at Thailand’s Siam Country Club in the first week of November, Rudgeley was joint 35th. In the World Amateur Golf Ranking, the 21-year-old attained a high of 24th.

In addition to her victories on home soil, Rudgeley won abroad at the 2021 English Women’s Amateur Championship and the Helen Holm Scottish Women’s Open Championship and tied for eighth at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur this year.

Her success in the United Kingdom included her playing her way into a Major debut at last year’s AIG Women’s Open through qualifying, and she also won The Athena this year.

“I am happy that I am embarking on my professional step now and that I have waited – I feel ready. The last 18 months have been amazing and I have been very proud of my amateur wins,” Rudgeley said.

“Augusta was just awesome – everything was a VIP experience and super professional. I am so thrilled to have had this opportunity.

“I am very grateful for the support I have had to get me to this point. My parents and family have been amazing and this has not been a short journey! I am well aware it has taken the time, money and care of many people to get me to this point.

“My sponsor Callaway have been exceptional, and Joe O’Dea has assisted me significantly through the years.

“I have a coach that has always believed in me, and club communities at my home club Mount Lawley and Wanneroo that have offered me years of encouragement and support.

“I am grateful to Golf WA and Golf Australia for offering me so many playing opportunities through the years – it is this experience that has given me the solid grounding to get here.

“I just like to keep things simple. I’m not going to think about this week and my professional debut any differently. I just want to get out there and play my best. It will just be so cool to be a part of it!”

Also joining the ranks of the professionals are Rudgeley’s male compatriots Connor McKinney and Hayden Hopewell, who started their new journeys at last week’s Fortinet Australian PGA Championship.

The pair, both of whom represented Australia at last month’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship (AAC) will also tee it up at the ISPS HANDA Australian Open.

This year, McKinney and Hopewell also flew the flag for Australia at the World Amateur Team Championship as well as their home state at the Australian Interstate Teams Matches where they shared the top seed throughout the tournament.

In the AAC at Thailand's Amata Spring Country Club, McKinney tied for 24th while Hopewell was joint 44th.

Individually, McKinney has produced a stellar year in winning the Australian Amateur, the St Andrews Links Trophy and a First Stage of DP World Tour Qualifying School event in Portugal.

At Royal Queensland last week, McKinney received the Kel Nagle Plate as low rookie in his first start as a professional. With a two-under total of 282, he ended in a share of 41st place alongside Harrison Crowe, winner of this year’s AAC. Hopewell also made the cut, finishing 56th on one-over 285.