Australia’s newest PGA TOUR member, Karl Vilips, is heading home to play in his first ISPS HANDA Australian Open as a professional on the famed Melbourne Sandbelt.

He will be joined at Kingston Heath and The Victoria golf clubs on November 28-December 1 by American Harry Higgs, who is returning to the PGA TOUR for the 2025 season, and Chile’s Cristobal Del Solar, who has been inspired to play in the Open by countryman and defending champion Joaquin Niemann.

All three will be heading to Australia on the back of securing victories on the Korn Ferry Tour (KFT) in 2024 and earning promotion to the PGA TOUR in 2025.

Still in his first 12 months as a professional, Vilips made an almost impact as a KFT member, finishing second in the NVS Invitational before winning in his following start at the Utah Championship.

Those two results guaranteed the 23-year-old would join Adam Scott, Jason Day, Min Woo Lee and Cam Davis as Australians on the PGA Tour in 2025.

The Stanford University graduate, known as “Koala Karl”, ended the year in 19th position on the KFT standings, while Higgs finished eighth and Del Solar 14th.

“It’s awesome to have the chance to come home and play in the ISPS HANDA Australian Open in Melbourne for the first time to end a really memorable year,” Vilips said.

“I’ve been able to play some of the Sandbelt courses as an amateur, but to get to play Kingston Heath and Victoria in my national Open, alongside players like Min Woo Lee and Cam Smith, is going to be a huge highlight.

“I can’t wait to play in front of the Aussie crowds and seeing plenty of family and friends while I’m home.”

The affable Higgs, who has won twice on the KFT in 2024, has been a popular figure on the PGA TOUR where his best results have included two runner-up finishes and T4 at the 2021 US PGA Championship.

“Australia has always been on my destination list,” Higgs said.

“It’s all worked out for me to come down to play both of the Aussie majors this year which I’m sure is going to be a great experience.

“It will be a real honour to play in both the Australian Open and Australian PGA in front of the Aussie fans.”

Del Solar’s 2024 highlight was a four-shot victory in The Ascendent, his fifth worldwide success.

“Seeing my great mate Joaquin play so well in Australia last year and hearing from him how much he enjoyed the country, the golf courses and the atmosphere of the events, made it an easy decision to come down and experience it for myself,” he said.

Tickets for the ISPS HANDA Australian Open are available now via Ticketek