Teenage Australian golf star Jake Higginbottom has turned professional in the wake of his New Zealand Open victory on Sunday.

It comes too late to collect the $A72,000 winner’s cheque that Australian pros Jason Norris and Peter Wilson got to share as joint runners-up in Christchurch.

But there are more opportunities looming for 19-year-old New South Welshman Higginbottom.

He’ll make his pro debut in the NSW PGA Championship at Mt Broughton in the NSW southern highlands starting on Thursday, and will be in the field for the Australian open at The Lakes in Sydney next week and the Australian PGA Championship at Coolum next month.

His NZ Open victory may not have yielded any prizemoney but it did give him a prized two-year exemption on the OneAsia Tour and the PGA Tour of Australasia and automatic entry into the second round of 2013 US PGA and European Tour qualification schools.

“I’ve discussed this with my team and we’re all very comfortable with the move,” said Higginbottom as he announced his decision on Tuesday.

“I feel that the time is right as I now have playing opportunities in the professional ranks.

“It’s exciting and I’m looking forward to starting my pro career.”