Grace Kim can't wait to get started on the LPGA Tour next season after earning promotion.
The 21-year-old Sydneysider secured one of 10 cards on offer from the secondary Epson Tour's Race to the Card standings when she finished fifth on Monday (AEDT), despite missing Friday's cut at the Epson Tour Championship.
She became the first Australian since Hannah Green in 2017 to earn promotion to the LPGA Tour via the secondary tour.
Fellow Australians Gabriela Ruffels and Robyn Choi finished T11 and T20 respectively at the Tour Championship but that wasn't enough to force their way into the top 10.
Ruffels fell one spot to 15th while Choi ended her best year to date in 17th position, the pair now destined for the LPGA Tour Q-Series to try and earn a card for 2023.
Kim was excited about playing alongside her childhood heroes next season.
"To be able to finish top 10 and get it done during the first year... A lot of the girls repeat year after year and I'm quite fortunate and blessed to have got it done the first year," she said.
"Seeing Greeny, seeing Su (Oh), a lot of the American and international players that I looked up to and getting to play amongst them is pretty cool.
"They're people that I used to see on TV and Instagram highlights; that means I'm going to be in amongst them.
"Hopefully I have a good year next year as well and do something similar like I did this year."
Kim's season was built on a breakthrough win at the IOA Golf Classic in May, with four further top-10 finishes and total prize money of $US89,720.
