She won’t officially join them until 2024, but Gabriela Ruffels was welcomed into Australia’s LPGA family ahead of this week’s CPKC Women’s Open in Canada.
Ruffels’ third victory on the Epson Tour a fortnight ago solidified what we already knew; she will be a member of the LPGA Tour in 2024.
Official confirmation followed by a week off at home in Palm Springs put Ruffels in a great frame of mind ahead of her fourth LPGA Tour start in 2023, her fellow Aussies ready to welcome her into the big time with open arms.
Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, Steph Kyriacou, Grace Kim, Su Oh and Karis Davidson are also in the field this week and Ruffels admitted that she will need to lean on their collective experience during the next 12 months.
“Last night a couple of Australian girls got together with my trainer as well from Golf Australia and give me a little cake that said, ‘Welcome to the LPGA,’” Ruffels revealed. “That was nice of them. It was nice to see that home-country support.
“I feel like I need to rely on them a bit more, ask them a few more questions, pick their brain, especially non-golf stuff with travel. I was having a few rental car issues this week. They gave me a few hints. Definitely need to pick their brain a bit more about life on the road.
“It’s great to have that support, and they’re some of the nicest girls out here. It’s awesome to have a group of girls you know you can go to.”
Playing in what she described as a major-like field came as no shock to Ruffels, who opened the tournament with a two-under 70 and is currently tied for seventh.
It follows a history of: the greater the standard, the better the 23-year-old tends to play. She finished top-15 in a major twice when still an amateur and this year was tied for 24th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and tied for 33rd at the US Women’s Open.
With three wins this season already and confidence at an all-time high, Ruffels is ready again to see how that form ranks among the world’s best who she will play against each and every week in 2024.
“I know this is one of the bigger events on the LPGA schedule, so I was super excited when I found out that I was going to come here,” Ruffels said of her tournament invitation to play at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club in Vancouver.
“It is a really, really strong field and it’s almost has kind of a major feel out here. I can see they have the best players out here this week. It’s already been a great tournament and it’s only Wednesday.
“I’m excited to see how my game stacks up against the best in the world.”
