Japanese players dominated the top of the leaderboard in Tuesday\u2019s final round with Kotono Fukaya, a regular on the WPGA Tour of Australasia the past two years, taking medallist honours with a nine-birdie 5-under 67 for an 8-under total.<\/p>\n
Fukaya, Ayane Morita (67) and Kristina Natalia Yoko (69) earned the top Q School category that will secure exemption into every event on the 2026 schedule. Kim and New South Wales amateur Jessica Bang are among the next seven players to earn the following category, which will ensure entry into the majority of tournaments.<\/p>\n
Kim was just six years old when her burgeoning talent at Southport Golf Club became evident, and she was featured in the local\u00a0Gold Coast Bulletin.<\/p>\n
Now, 11 years on and still five months shy of her 18th birthday, the reigning Queensland Amateur champion is ready to step up.<\/p>\n
\u201cTurning pro, I was nervous a few months ago, but now I\u2019m not so nervous,\u201d said Kim, who played the 2023 Australian Open as a 15-year-old but was too shy to ask Hannah Green for a photo.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been playing pro tournaments more than usual recently, so it\u2019s OK.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m not too nervous about that. My plans are kind of to go to Korea for Q School early next year and then play WPGA.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kim was just 16 when she finished tied 25th at the Vic Open in February this year and made the cut at the 2024 Women\u2019s NSW Open that was co-sanctioned with the Ladies European Tour.<\/p>\n
She will now have every chance to play at least three LET co-sanctioned events next year \u2013 the Australian WPGA Championship, the Australian Women\u2019s Classic and the Women\u2019s NSW Open.<\/p>\n
Fukaya, who was tied sixth at the Webex Players Series Hunter Valley event in 2024, will also get the women\u2019s Australian Open at Kooyonga Golf Club, and intends to start her season at Webex Players Series Perth hosted by Minjee and Min Woo Lee from January 8-11.<\/p>\n
With seven players currently inside the top 30 on the Rolex Women\u2019s World Golf Ranking, the influx of Japanese players will only serve to strengthen the WPGA Tour of Australasia.<\/p>\n
There were nine in the top 12 at Coolangatta, Fukuya is excited to have even more Japanese players in Australia next year.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is basically now like playing in Japan because of all the other players, especially today,\u201d said Fukaya, who played in an all-Japanese final group.<\/p>\n
\u201cI am also excited about the Webex Players Series events with boys and girls combined, because that is not something that we have in Japan.<\/p>\n
\u201cI played quite well in some of those in 2024, and it was a great experience.\u201d<\/p>\n
Runner-up on Tuesday, Ayane Morita produced the highlight of the tournament with a hole-in-one at the par-3 10th.<\/p>\n
Playing 143 metres, Morita hit hybrid in making a magical ace that kick-started a back nine of 5-under 31 that helped clinch one of the top three positions.<\/p>\n
The international influence on the WPGA Tour of Australasia will not be confined to Japan in 2026, with players from Indonesia, the United States, Korea, New Zealand and Scotland all finishing inside the top 20.<\/p>\n
\n \u00a9 Golf Australia. All rights reserved.
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