Sara Byrne will turn pro at the end of 2024 after "keeping the dream alive" with a big year on the golfing circuit at home and in the US.
Byrne, 24, came home from the University of Miami during the summer and won the Irish Close for a second time.
That was the catalyst for success back in the States on the collegiate circuit, where she picked up two tournament victories in October.
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The Douglas golfer picked up the Irish Golf Writers' Women's Amateur of the Year award this week, five years on from winning the trophy for the first time.
"I feel like I’m a totally different player," she said, comparing herself to that first success. "This means so much more."
On both occasions she earned the award on the back of winning the Irish Close. Five years ago she achieved the feat in Enniscrone, while this year she was victorious in Connemara.
"When I look back on how I won the Irish Close the first time, I don’t know how I did that, compared to the golf that was played this year to get it," Byrne said. "It has been quite the turnaround.
"The west of Ireland was good to me the past couple of years, so it has been good. The wind, keeping the ball low as well, that worked out pretty well and got to bring the trophy home.
"That win kicked me on, it got me back in the winning circle and I was like I don’t want to let that feeling go.
"This probably could have happened last year, my Fall season in college, my results weren’t that great but my golf was there and I was talking to my college coach and he was like, 'it’s going to come'.
"I just needed to be patient with it and with the Close kicking off my summer back home, that was the starting point and it all just started to click."
Playing in the KPMG Women's Irish Open at the end of August and start of September, with over 30,000 spectators descending on Dromoland Castle, was a career highlight and helped to cement a decision on her future.
"I graduate in May and hopefully turn pro at the end of next year," said Byrne, who finished as the leading amateur that week.
"The Irish Open really solidified that for me and the LET Access this summer, it is exactly what I want to do.
"It's where I want to be and it just put more motivation into my body to keep this going, to keep the dream alive.
"I know a home Open like that is not how every week on Tour is like - I knew it was going to be a very special week, which it was.
"It's probably one of the most favourite memories I will ever have in my golfing career.
"I absolutely just enjoyed every single second of it. I could have played a little bit better but for there that’s where my mindset was that I really belonged there and it is what I want to keep on doing."
What Leona Maguire has achieved both as an amateur and now as a professional is an obvious source of inspiration. "It puts it into a more realistic point, that the dream is a goal that is achievable," Byrne said.
"What Leona is doing, you can see her on the LPGA and winning the Solheim Cup is definitely a motivator. It’s about putting in all the hard work to fulfil the dream."
Byrne is among a number of young Irish women who excelled in the sport. Áine Donegan made a splash at the US Women's Open at Pebble Beach, while Beth Coulter - a serial winner at home - started to make her mark at Arizona State.
"The quality of golf being played this year by Irish women golfers is insane," said Byrne. "The amount of competition we had, the competitiveness, and I think as well it pushes all of us on.
"After the Close and then Áine going to the US Open, it just kicked us all on and motivated us all to keep going and keep pushing."
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