In May, Karl Vilips graduated after four years at Stanford University. In October, he wrapped up a 2025 PGA TOUR card.

In the professional golf of today, such an ascension is almost unheard of.

You are supposed to bide your time, pay your dues, do the hard yards on secondary tours and establish your own path to the highest echelons of the sport.

If you make it there at all.

The fact that Vilips was able to convert status on the PGA TOUR of Americas earned through the PGA TOUR U program into a PGA TOUR card inside five months is one of the more remarkable accomplishments of 2024.

That he was a child prodigy who has been seemingly on this path from the days he could first start walking makes Vilips’ story even more compelling.

With father Paul documenting his golfing development in Melbourne, Vilips came to public awareness with two US Kids Junior Golf Championship wins and a Callaway World Junior title.

After spending time in Perth, Vilips made the move to Florida to complete high school where his impressive golf credentials continued to build.

It made him a sought-after commodity by college golf programs, Vilips choosing to join Tiger Woods as a Stanford alumni where he closed out his college career with victory at the Pac-12 Championship.

That result saw Vilips finish 10th on the PGA TOUR U standings to begin his professional life with status on the PGA TOUR Americas.

After two starts on that tour he received a sponsor’s exemption to play on the Korn Ferry Tour.

He finished second in his second start there and won the Utah Championship in just his fifth tournament as a professional.

Those two results alone went a long way to Vilips’ finishing 19th on the 2024 Korn Ferry Tour Points List and earning Rookie of the Year honours.

Vilips returned home to Australia in November to play the ISPS HANDA Australian Open and will likely complete the whirlwind with his maiden start as a member of the PGA TOUR at the Sony Open in Hawaii in January.