From eastern Scotland to western Australia, Connor McKinney will embark on the latest step in his golfing journey on the DP World Tour.
Self-described as a “Scossie”, he was born in Kirkcaldy, Fife, but Australia has become his adopted home since his family emigrated when he was 13.
A talent from a young age on the junior scene in Scotland, he continued to flourish after emigrating, winning both the Australian Amateur and the St Andrews Links Trophy in his final year as an amateur in 2022.
Later that year, he turned professional and has since played predominantly on the PGA Tour of Australasia but is now exempt on the DP World Tour after coming through all three stages of this year's Qualifying School.
“You’re due nothing in this game but I felt like it was time," he said, with this year his fourth in a row at attempting to make it onto the DP World Tour through Q-School.
"I played on the HotelPlanner Tour last year (after just falling short at Final Stage in 2023) and I definitely took a lot of learnings from it.
"It put me in good stead for this year, my career going forward."
Playing out of Joondalup Country Club, five minutes from Western Australia's Sunset Coast, McKinney has made 2025 his breakthrough year.
After starting the year competing at home, he returned to Scotland to capture his maiden professional victory on the Tartan Pro Tour in August. That success gave him confidence heading into Q-School, where he produced three stages of solid golf to secure his card.
"This year has been a big step forward in my career," he added
"I was really confident and playing well heading into Q-School.
"There wasn’t any extra pressure because I have done it a few times. I just played some really solid golf over the three stages.
“It’s a testament to all the hard work I have put in over the years. It’s a credit to all the people around me who have supported me all the way.
"It’s culminated in me achieving a lifelong goal."
With a marquee double header - the BMW Australian PGA Championship and Crown Australian Open - on home soil over the upcoming fortnight, McKinney now can't wait to start his journey on golf's global tour.
"To start the season at home is always a nice thing but not only that, they’re pretty big ones [venues] this time around," said McKinney, joins fellow Western Australians Min Woo Lee and Jason Scrivener as exempt players on the DP World Tour in 2026.
"The PGA is going to be awesome, Royal Queensland is a great course, a great tournament venue and the Aussie crowd always seem to get up for it. They’re a pretty good bunch of people to play in front of.
“The Open [Australian Open] is just going to be next level, to be honest. I think the West at Royal Melbourne is sixth in the world so who knows where they’d rank the composite course because everyone seems to think it is better."
For for all Q-School graduates, the primary aim is to retain their playing rights, but McKinney is confident he can do better - potentially emulating fellow 23-year-old countryman Elvis Smylie by winning on the DP World Tour.
“I travelled with Elvis for a few events on the HotelPlanner Tour last year," he said.
"He’s obviously done pretty well, winning the Aus PGA at home and he’s kicked on nicely this season.
I’ve got the belief that if I play my best golf I can win an event.
“When you see people succeeding around you, I guess it gives you the self-belief that I can do this as well.
“I’ve got the belief that I can go out and if I play my best golf I can win an event.
"I’m just excited to get in contention and live out the dream I have aspired since I was young.
"A good goal would be to give myself a good run at winning one.
"I was watching Dubai (the DP World Tour Championship) last week and it was looking pretty mint so it would be awesome to get to Dubai as well."
McKinney is hopeful that the grounding he has gained so far as a professional will ensure he can seize the opportunity he has created for himself.
“I was probably a little naïve when I turned pro," he said. "I just thought it was golf and it can’t be that much different...
"[But] Rather than take care of my mind off the course, I was just chasing it.
"One thing I have learned more than anything is that [by doing that] you are just going to get further away from your goal.
"Sometimes you have got to sit back and let it happen, not carrying a bad mindset to the next shot. That comes with maturity.
"It's all another step in the journey. And it all served me well at Qualifying School."
The reward is a chance to test himself against some of the leading players in the world and at celebrated global venues, some of which McKinney has long wished to experience.
“I have been looking at the schedule for a few months, just looking at tournaments that I grew up watching," he said, further highlighting his sense of anticipation.
"Places like Crans-Montana. It looks like the best place ever and that’s eight to nine months away!
"I went to the Dunhill Links a fair bit as a kid so to play there is going to be pretty awesome. There are a lot. I’m just really excited to start the season.
"I’m playing well so it’d be good to get some momentum going early [in the season].
"What better place than to start than at home, right, on courses that I’m pretty familiar and comfortable with."
