Gabriela Ruffels

Gabriela Ruffels (born April 2000) is an American-Australian tennis player turned golfer. Starting at the age of eight, Ruffels started playing tennis and won twenty one International Tennis Federation doubles events in Europe. She also was the number one ranking Australian junior when she was twelve. After switching from tennis to golf in 2015, Ruffels primarily competed in Australia from 2016 to 2017. In 2018, Ruffels joined the USC Trojans women's golf team at the University of Southern California.

With the USC, Ruffels appeared at the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships from 2018 to 2019 in both the individual and team events. During this time period, Ruffels became the first ever Australian to win the U.S. Women's Amateur in 2019. Her amateur championship gave her exemptions to the 2020 editions of the U.S. Women's Open, ANA Inspiration, Evian Championship and Women's British Open. Apart from amateur events, Ruffels missed the cut in multiple professional events including the 2017 Women's Victorian Open and 2019 Japan Women's Open Golf Championship.

Early life and education

Ruffels was born on April 2000 in Orlando, Florida to former tennis players Anna-Maria Fernandez and Ray Ruffels. During her childhood, Ruffels lived in Laguna Niguel, California before moving to Melbourne, Australia. At the age of six, Ruffels began to play tennis and continued until she was fourteen. For her post-secondary education, Ruffels enrolled at the University of Southern California in 2018 to study business administration.

Career

As a tennis player, Ruffels won three doubles championships from 2011 to 2012. From 2013 to 2014, Ruffels primarily competed in ITF Grade 4 and Grade 5 events throughout Australia. In singles, her best finish was the quarterfinals at the 2014 Wilson Tennis Canterbury. For doubles, Ruffel's won the 2014 New South Wales Junior International. In other finals, Ruffels lost at the Wilson Tennis Canterbury and Auckland ITF Indoor Champs events in 2014. In team events, Ruffels was part of the Australian team that finished fourth at the 2014 World Junior Tennis Finals. Overall, Ruffels was the number one ranking Australian junior was she was twelve years old and held the number three ranking two years later. She also had twenty one doubles event wins held by the ITF in Europe.

At the beginning of 2015, Ruffels became tired of tennis and switched to golf. As an amateur golfer, Ruffels primarily played in Australia from 2016 to 2017 while also competing in Singapore, the United States and Canada. During these years, she was ninth at the 2016 Australian Women's Amateur and 17th at the 2017 Australian Women's Amateur. In 2018, Ruffels joined the USC Trojans women's golf team. At the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships, Ruffels tied for 38th in 2018 and tied for 19th in 2019 at the individual events. In the team events, Ruffels was part of the Southern California team that made it to the semifinals in 2018 and the quarterfinals in 2019. Ruffels was also a member of the International team that won the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup.

While competing for USC, Ruffels appeared at the Canadian Women's Amateur, placing 38th at the 2018 edition and 21st at the 2019 event. In 2019, Ruffels became the first ever Australian to win the U.S. Women's Amateur. With her U.S Amateur win, Ruffels received an exemption to the 2020 U.S. Women's Open. Additional 2020 events Ruffels received exemptions for were the ANA Inspiration, Evian Championship and Women's British Open.

In professional events, Ruffels was cut in the 2016 and 2017 Women's Victorian Open on the ALPG Tour. A few years later, Ruffels missed the cut in the 019 U.S. Women's Open. In Japan, Ruffels also missed the cut at the Suntory Ladies Open and Japan Women's Open Golf Championship during 2019.

Amateur wins

• 2018 Windy City Collegiate Championship
• 2019 North and South Women's Amateur, U.S. Amateur

Source:

Team appearances

• Arnold Palmer Cup (representing the International team): 2019 (winners)