Australian prodigy Karl Vilips will begin his PGA TOUR debut at this week’s Mexico Open by stepping into the shoes of his idol, Tiger Woods.

Literally.

The 23-year-old, who spent time in both Melbourne and Perth growing up before completing high school in the US, was announced on Wednesday as the first brand ambassador for Woods’s clothing line, SunDayRed.

Vilips first met Woods as a star-struck 6-year-old. He is embracing all that Woods stands for as the realisation of a dream come true turns into a fairytale beyond the most creative imagination.

“To have me on the team is something that I take to heart,” said Vilips, whose maiden PGA TOUR start was delayed by a bulging disc in his back that flared up after the Australian Open in December.

“I want to represent him the best way that I can.

“Everything that he stands for, I stand for as well.”

In a post shared to Instagram by Sun Day Red, Woods himself left no doubt as to why he saw the young Aussie as the ideal representative of his clothing label.

“Karl’s journey has been marked by success at every level he’s played,” said Woods.

“We were drawn towards his relentless work ethic, and pioneering spirit that embodies what we stand for and look for in our athletes.

“With his impressive track record and determination, I have no doubt he will make a significant impact quickly on the PGA TOUR and is one of the game’s future stars.”

Providing his missing suitcase is delivered to VidantaWorld in time for Round 1, Vilips will step onto the first tee fully kitted out in Sun Day Red, from shoes and socks to the pants and belt that will hold them in place and the polo shirt bearing the Sun Day Red logo.

The sheer ridiculousness of the situation he now finds himself in is not lost on a young man who was still an amateur playing college golf at Woods’s alma mater, Stanford University, just 12 months ago.

“The first time I met him, I was 6 and I was just awestruck looking at him,” Vilips recalled.

“Couldn’t really say anything. Just listened to whatever he had to say, which I couldn’t tell you what that was now.

“Throughout this whole process, it’s been really cool to hear what he’s had to say about me in picking me as an ambassador.

“It’s a huge honour.”

Vilips’ path to the PGA TOUR has been closely monitored since he won US Kids World Championship titles at age seven and nine and then the Callaway Junior World Championship as a 10-year-old.

After graduating from Stanford last year, Vilips played two events on the PGA TOUR Americas, won in his fourth start on the Korn Ferry Tour and finished 19th on the points list as well as being named Rookie of the Year.

It’s all led to this moment yet he is adamant there will be much more to the Karl Vilips story.

“It’s a dream come true to get the card, that’s what I always wanted,” said Vilips.

“But this is also part of the plan, to get to where I want to be which is the best player in the world.

“My game’s in a good spot at the moment where I can compete and it’s just all about how I handle it out there, getting into a flow and just embracing everything around me.

“Dream come true and a big step to where I want to be.”

As Vilips makes his PGA TOUR debut, Grace Kim makes her LPGA Tour season debut at this week’s Honda LPGA Thailand at Siam Country Club.

One of three Aussies teeing it up in Thailand, Kim won in her rookie season in 2023 but struggled physically last year in a gruelling 28-event schedule.

Prioritising additional time in the gym over the first two events of the season is designed to put her in position for further wins in 2025.

“I played 30 events, which was a lot, and that wasn’t always the plan,” Kim said of a 2024 season in which she had three top-10s and finished 46th in the Race to CME Globe ranking.

“I just wanted to get the rankings up, the points up and everything but this year the plan’s a little bit different.

“We’re playing less events and hopefully spending more time at home, using those development blocks to hopefully have better results in less events.”

The DP World Tour is in Kenya this week where Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia winners Daniel Gale and Brett Coletta will fly the flag alongside Danny List fresh off his PGA TOUR debut at the Genesis Invitational.

Round 1 tee times AEDT

PGA TOUR Mexico Open at VidantaWorld VidantaWorld, Vallarta, Mexico 1:36am* Ryan Fox (NZ) 5:21am* Aaron Baddeley 6:27am Karl Vilips

Recent champion: Jake Knapp Past Aussie winners: David Graham (1980), Jarrod Lyle (2008, Nationwide Tour) Prize money: $US7 million TV times: Live 2am-11am Friday, Saturday; Live 1am-10am Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

LPGA Tour Honda LPGA Thailand Siam Country Club (Old Cse), Chonburi, Thailand 11:50am* Gabriela Ruffels 11:57am Grace Kim 12:14pm* Stephanie Kyriacou

Recent champion: Patty Tavatanakit Past Aussie winners: Nil Prize money: $US1.7 million TV times: Live 2pm-7pm Thursday, Friday on Fox Sports 503; Live 2:30pm-7:30pm Saturday, Sunday on Fox Sports 507 and Kayo.

DP World Tour Magical Kenya Open Muthaiga GC, Nairobi, Kenya 5:10pm* Daniel Gale 9:20pm* Brett Coletta 9:40pm* Kazuma Kobori (NZ) 9:50pm Danny List

Recent champion: Darius Van Driel Past Aussie winners: Nil Prize money: $US2.5 million TV times: Live 9pm-2am Thursday, Friday; Live 8:30pm-1am Saturday; Live 8pm-1am Sunday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.