If you haven’t already, young defender Steve Kiriakou has officially announced her arrival as a world golfing power after receiving her 2022 LPGA Tour ticket.

The Sydney superstar joined forces with fellow Australians Sarah Jane Smith and Karis Davidson in successfully securing the full rights to a prestigious and lucrative tour through the grueling eight-round LPGA Q-Series.

Kiriakou kept her nerve with the final round 71 at Highlands Oaks in Alabama to finish 16th at 11th under and 45th inside to qualify.

Kyriacou’s graduation added the exclamation point to another great season barely a year after he turned professional.

The 21-year-old climbed from world number 806 to 75th in the rankings in 22 months that began with her stunning eight-stroke win as a teenage amateur at the 2020 LET Australian Ladies’ Classic in Bonneville.

Choosing to turn professional after a life-changing victory, Kiriakou defied all odds during the global pandemic to lead the British Women’s Open early in her grand slam debut at the Royal Tron last year.

With her dad holding her bag, Kiriakou was crowned European Rookie of the Year for 2020 before adding a second LET title to her resume at the Women’s Open in July.

Kyriacou scored 12 games in the top 10 of the year to compete for this year’s European Player of the Year all the way up to the final event of the season in the Middle East.

Now Kyriacou finds herself the third-ranked Australian star behind only major winners Minjee Lee and Hannah Green, who she will join on the LPGA Tour next year.

For all her success, Kiriakou credits her serendipitous victory at Bonneville last February as the turning point in her career.

Just a month later, the sports world has been closed for several months due to COVID-19.

“I was fortunate to win this tournament as an amateur. I played well, but the timing was good because one of my best teammates, Grace Kim, is obviously a top amateur, but she didn’t win, and she had to come to Q-School this year. She didn’t play the year last,” Kiriakou said.

“So I guess I’ve been pretty lucky in a way. He’s always grateful, but he’s still a rollercoaster.”

So was Smith, too.

The tour veteran, but her new mom, grabbed her card by a thread after the final 76th round left the 37-year-old tied for 41st, in a group that included Davidson, in fourth.

Smith was a mainstay on the LPGA Tour for a decade but had to qualify again after taking a year’s maternity leave.

Davidson also qualified by a single shot after a horrific Final Round 77 that nearly shattered her big American dream.

AAP