Emerging golf superstar Grace Kim is already plotting to eclipse her dream 2025 season with even greater spoils.
After claiming a maiden major in the most extraordinary circumstances imaginable, and helping Australia win the prestigious International Crown teams' title, Kim is understandably still buzzing.
"Crazy is probably the best word I can use because I still don't know how to describe how I felt at the time and how it all panned out," Kim said on Tuesday after being the first marquee player to commit to next year's Australian Open in Adelaide.
Kim produced one of the most astonishing fightbacks in golf history to capture the Evian Championship in France in July.
The 25-year-old Sydneysider finished eagle-birdie-eagle to rally from four shots behind late in the final round to deny world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul on the second hole of an epic play-off.
"It was just a very cool moment to spend the night with the Aussie friends and players, caddies that were all out there," Kim said.
"We all celebrated and everyone kind of drank out of the trophy, which was cool and it was fun.
"So not too rowdy but, yeah, very special moment, very cool year.
"This year would be the one to beat. Obviously I wasn't expecting that."
After resetting with her coach and team, Kim is already knuckling down again and hopes to start next year with a bang by becoming the first Australian since the great Karrie Webb in 2014 to win the Australian Open.
After three dual-gender tournaments sharing the spotlight with the Australian Open men's championship, the women's event will be a stand-alone once again at Kooyonga Golf Club from March 12-15.
"I've got great memories out here at Kooyonga," Kim said.
"I played my first Aussie Open out here as an amateur in 2018 and I also won an Australian amateur in '21 as well.
"So lots of great memories. The course is hard, which I like as well. So I'm really excited for next year."
Some of women's golf's biggest names, including former world No.1s Nelly Korda, Inbee Park, Jin-Young Ko, Lydia Ko and defending champion Jiyai Shin have won the Australian Open during a decade-long home title drought.
"Just to actually get it done at the Australian Open would mean a lot because obviously an Aussie winning is always nice," Kim said.
"But I think all of us Aussies are keen to win that. So, yeah, hopefully we can get it done.
"It would be cool to follow Karrie's footsteps. Karrie's been very generous in giving back already, so hopefully we can follow her footsteps and see how we go with that.
"But Karrie just dominated, whereas now it's a lot harder just because of the depth of the field."
