One of Australia’s most promising golfers, Antonio Murdaca, has turned professional.

Murdaca,
20, will tee up for money for the first time at the PGA Tour of Australasia’s
Fiji International next week after a glittering amateur career, highlighted by
his appearance at this year’s Masters Tournament.

The
South Australian made his announcement after storming home to finish sixth with
a stirring 64 in what turned out to be the final round of the typhoon-reduced
Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship in Hong Kong at the weekend.

It
was a fitting tournament at which to make the move – a year after the same
event brought him to international prominence with victory at Royal Melbourne
ensuring him a start at Augusta National.

"After
a long and successful amateur career, I feel it’s time to make the next step,"
Murdaca said.

"I
am ready to turn professional and start the next leg of my ongoing golf
journey. I am super excited to start in Fiji and can’t wait to see what the
future holds for me.

"I’m
really grateful for the combined efforts of Golf Australia, Golf South
Australia, the PGA Tour of Australasia and my management team at ISM to help me
get started so soon."

Murdaca
is one of only three players to have twice won the national junior championship
including 2013 Masters hero Adam Scott.

Golf
Australia high performance director Brad James said Murdaca has had a stellar
amateur career and was ready to make the transition to pro ranks.

"He
has all the tools required to be a successful international professional, as we
all saw at Augusta National when he held his own in elite company for the first
time," James said.

Murdaca
showed his aptitude at professional events early with a scintillating
six-under-par third-round 66 playing alongside Robert Allenby in the 2013
Emirates Australian Open. He also made the cut at last year’s national
championship.

The
PGA of Australia looks forward to welcoming Murdaca to the pro ranks and
watching him develop further as a player throughout his career.  

"We
have already seen in his forays into professional tournaments as an amateur
that Antonio is an extremely talented player," said Simon Butterly, general
manager – tournament division for the PGA of Australia.

"He
will join a talented crop of young players as the next generation of Australian
Tour professionals. I look forward to watching him grow as a player on the PGA
Tour of Australasia and establishing a long and successful career, starting at
next week’s Fiji International."