Player Bio: Gabriela Ruffels (a)2022 U.S. Women's Open

Age: 22
Country: Australia
College: University of Southern California
Worldwide professional wins: 1
Road to Pine Needles: Qualified at Madera, Calif., site on May 10

Ruffels will make her third U.S. Women's Open start and first as a professional. She earned her spot in Pine Needles as the medalist at Dragonfly Golf Club, shooting 7-undar-par 139 (71-68) on the par-73 layout. Ruffels turned pro in early 2021, giving up her final semester of eligibility at the University of Southern California. Her only pro win to date came in the Arizona Women's Open on the Cactus Tour, although she tied for 19 th in the 2021 Chevron Championship (formerly the ANA Inspiration) and followed that up with a tie for 22nd this year. In 2020, she tied for 13th in the COVID-19-delayed U.S. Women's Open as an amateur. She had punched her ticket to that championship at Champions Golf Club in Houston with a 1-up victory over Albane Valenzuela in the 36-hole final of the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur. Ruffels nearly became the first back-to-back winner of the championship since Danielle Kang in August, losing in the final to Rose Zhang in 38 holes. Ruffels comes from an athletic family. Her father, Ray, was a world-class tennis player, winning the Australian Open doubles title in 1977, and her mother, Anna-Maria, won an AIAW national singles title for USC before the NCAA began sanctioning women's intercollegiate sports in 1982. Gabriela’s older brother, Ryan, competes on the Korn Ferry Tour. Gabriela was a top tennis player in Australia before turning to golf. Prior to winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Ruffels claimed the prestigious Women’s North & South Amateur at Pinehurst. She missed the cut in her Women’s Open debut at the Country Club of Charleston. She currently plays on the Epson Tour.  

U.S. Women's Open Playing Record