Gabriela Ruffels Bio
Gabriela Ruffels (born 18 April 2000) is an Australian American professional golfer and former competitive tennis player. Born in Orlando, Florida, and raised in Melbourne, Australia, she first gained recognition as a junior tennis standout before switching to golf in 2015. In 2019, she became the first Australian to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur, a milestone that established her as one of the most promising young amateurs in the women’s game. Since turning professional in February 2021, Ruffels has competed on the LPGA Tour, the Epson Tour, and the Ladies European Tour.
Early Life and Background
Gabriela Ruffels was born on 18 April 2000, in Orlando, Florida. She is the daughter of former professional tennis players Anna-Maria Fernandez and Ray Ruffels. During her childhood, Ruffels lived in Laguna Niguel, California, before her family relocated to Melbourne, Australia. At the age of six, she began playing tennis and continued in the sport until she was fourteen, laying the foundation for a competitive athletic career rooted in family tradition.
Her older brother, Ryan Ruffels, also pursued competitive tennis before transitioning to golf, representing Australia at the 2014 Eisenhower Trophy and turning professional in 2016. Gabriela attended Haileybury in Melbourne for her secondary education from 2012 to 2017, where she played on the Haileybury Girls Premiership tennis teams in 2015 and 2017. For her post-secondary education, she enrolled at the University of Southern California in 2018 to study business administration. While competing for the USC Trojans, Ruffels was named an All-American by the Women’s Golf Coaches Association.
Path to Golf
Ruffels began playing tennis at age eight and quickly rose through the international junior ranks, capturing twenty-one International Tennis Federation doubles titles across Europe. She was the top-ranked Australian junior at age twelve and held the number three ranking two years later. Despite her success on the tennis court, Ruffels grew weary of the sport at the start of 2015 and decided to switch her focus to golf.
As an amateur golfer from 2016 to 2017, Ruffels primarily played in Australia while also competing in Singapore, the United States, and Canada. She placed ninth at the 2016 Australian Women’s Amateur and seventeenth at the 2017 Australian Women’s Amateur. In 2018, she joined the USC Trojans women’s golf team and appeared at the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships in both 2018 and 2019 in the individual and team events. During this stretch, she also represented the International team that won the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup.
Gabriela Ruffels Career
Early Career (2015-2018)
After committing to golf in early 2015, Ruffels played in her first professional events on the ALPG Tour, missing the cut at the 2016 and 2017 Women’s Victorian Open. She continued to develop her game through amateur competitions across Australia, Singapore, Canada, and the United States, building the foundation for her eventual breakthrough. In 2018, she enrolled at the University of Southern California and joined the USC Trojans women’s golf team.
Competing at the NCAA Division I Women’s Golf Championships in 2018, Ruffels tied for 38th individually, while the USC team advanced to the semifinals. The following year, she tied for 19th individually and helped USC reach the quarterfinals in the team event. She also placed 38th at the 2018 Canadian Women’s Amateur and 21st at the 2019 edition, sharpening her competitive edge ahead of her amateur peak.
U.S. Women’s Amateur Breakthrough (2019-2020)
In 2019, Gabriela Ruffels became the first Australian to win the U.S. Women’s Amateur, cementing her status as a rising star in the women’s game. Her victory earned her exemptions into multiple major championships, including the 2020 U.S. Women’s Open, the ANA Inspiration, the Evian Championship, and the Women’s British Open. The following year, she returned to the U.S. Women’s Amateur as runner-up.
During the 2020 major championship season, Ruffels tied for 13th at the U.S. Women’s Open and the Women’s British Open, and tied for 15th at the ANA Inspiration. She also missed the cut at the 2019 U.S. Women’s Open and at the 2019 Suntory Ladies Open and Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship, gaining valuable major championship experience. These performances positioned her for a smooth transition to the professional ranks.
Professional Era (2021-Present)
Gabriela Ruffels announced her decision to turn professional on February 10, 2021, making her professional debut at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio. Throughout her rookie season, she competed primarily on the LPGA Tour while also playing events on the Symetra Tour and Ladies European Tour. Her top results that year included a fourth-place finish at the IOA Championship and a tie for seventeenth at the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open. She also tied for nineteenth at the ANA Inspiration and tied for thirty-third at the Women’s PGA Championship.
Her first professional victory came at the 2023 Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic on the Epson Tour. That same year, she became the first Australian to win the Epson Tour Player of the Year Award, earning her LPGA Tour card for the 2024 season. With three Epson Tour titles to her credit, Ruffels entered the 2024 LPGA season with full status and continued to build her career on the premier women’s circuit.
Notable Events and Milestones
Ruffels’ career-defining moment came in 2019 when she won the U.S. Women’s Amateur, becoming the first Australian to claim that title. She has also represented Australia in team competitions, including the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup, and has competed in all five of the women’s major championships through her early professional career. Her Epson Tour Player of the Year Award in 2023 marked her as the first Australian to earn that distinction.
Gabriela Ruffels Career Wins
Gabriela Ruffels has accumulated three professional victories, all earned on the Epson Tour, with her first win coming at the 2023 Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic. Her dominant 2023 Epson Tour season earned her the Player of the Year Award and an LPGA Tour card for the following season.
Epson Tour Highlights
Ruffels captured three Epson Tour titles, highlighted by her breakthrough victory at the 2023 Carlisle Arizona Women’s Golf Classic. Her consistent play throughout the 2023 season earned her the Epson Tour Player of the Year Award, making her the first Australian to receive the honor. The award secured her LPGA Tour membership for the 2024 season and marked her arrival as a full-time competitor on the world’s premier women’s golf circuit.
Other Wins & Performances
As an amateur, Ruffels’ most notable victory was the 2019 U.S. Women’s Amateur, a major amateur championship that gave her exemptions into multiple LPGA majors. She also reached the final of the 2020 U.S. Women’s Amateur as runner-up, reinforcing her pedigree in match-play competition. Earlier, she captured the 2014 New South Wales Junior International in tennis, and she was a member of the Australian team that finished fourth at the 2014 World Junior Tennis Finals.
Gabriela Ruffels Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Gabriela Ruffels comes from a family deeply rooted in competitive tennis. Her father, Ray Ruffels, and her mother, Anna-Maria Fernandez, are both former professional tennis players who passed their athletic background to their children. Her older brother, Ryan Ruffels, followed a similar path, excelling in tennis before transitioning to golf, representing Australia at the 2014 Eisenhower Trophy, and turning professional in 2016.
Personal Life
Gabriela Ruffels splits her time between Australia and the United States, having grown up in Melbourne after moving from Laguna Niguel, California. She studied business administration at the University of Southern California beginning in 2018, balancing her academic pursuits with a rising amateur and professional golf career. She continues to represent Australia in international competition while pursuing her goals on the LPGA Tour.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 LPGA Tour season, Gabriela Ruffels holds full playing privileges following her Epson Tour Player of the Year Award in 2023. Building on her rookie and sophomore LPGA campaigns, Ruffels has continued to chase consistency on the game’s biggest stages, including all five women’s major championships. Her transition from the Epson Tour to the LPGA has been steady, and her early-season form has reflected the work she put in during the off-season.
Throughout the 2025 campaign, Ruffels has remained committed to refining her game and earning her first LPGA Tour victory. Her prior major championship experience, including ties for thirteenth at the U.S. Women’s Open and the Women’s British Open, has provided a foundation for competitive performances against the tour’s top players. With multiple seasons of major championship exposure behind her, Ruffels continues to seek her breakthrough win on the LPGA Tour.
Looking ahead through the remainder of the 2025 season, Ruffels’ primary objectives include qualifying for the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship and contending in the major championships. Her amateur pedigree, combined with three Epson Tour titles, positions her well to climb the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. As one of the few Australians competing full-time on the LPGA Tour, she carries the flag for her country with every tournament start.