An LPGA Tour card is now just one win away after Victorian Gabi Ruffels completed a four-stroke win at the Epson Tour Garden City Charity Classic in Kansas.
After breaking the 20-year Epson Tour 36-hole scoring record on Saturday, Ruffels began the final round with a six-stroke advantage.
A bogey at the second hole – just her second bogey of the week – would be her only mis-step as she closed with a one-under 71 for a five-stroke win from Isabella Fierro (62), Agathe Laisne (63) and Ga Yul Kang (65).
Her 19-under par total equalled the 54-hole scoring record and, after her win at the Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic in March, puts Ruffels within one win of earning automatic three-win promotion to the LPGA Tour.
Even without it she is all but assured a LPGA Tour card for 2024, extending her lead at the top of the Epson Tour moneylist.
“This win is a big step in the right direction,” Ruffels said of her LPGA Tour aspirations.
“We are all out here for the same reason and that is to get to the next level on the LPGA Tour. There is still a long season to go but I am definitely making some strides.”
With the win, Ruffels earns $US30,000 to take her tally for the year to $US89,262, which by way of comparison would have been enough to finish seventh on the 2022 Race To The Card.
The 23-year-old broke the Buffalo Dunes course record on Friday with a 10-under 62 and then backed that up with an eight-under 64 in round two to set a new low mark for the Epson Tour.
Even the largest leads can bring with it expectation and pressure, but Ruffels was never truly threatened, birdies at the 14th and 16th holes ensuring she always had a minimum of a three-shot advantage through the back nine.
“I was definitely very nervous, but I knew I had a big buffer which really helped,” Ruffels said.
“I just tried to play every shot as it was and not get too ahead of myself.
“I was just trying to play super consistent and I was able to do that today, so I was very happy.”
