Who is Gabriela Ruffels? All you need to know about the Australian tennis player turned professional golfer

Gabriela Ruffels is an Australian-American professional golfer with a background in tennis. Born on April 14th, 2000, she is the daughter of former tennis professionals Anna-Maria Fernandez and Ray Ruffels.

From the young age of six, Gabriela Ruffels showed a keen interest in tennis. Between 2011 and 2012, she clinched three doubles championships, a feat that propelled her to the top of the Australian junior rankings in 2012. Building on this momentum, Ruffels continued to excel, capturing the 2014 New South Wales Junior International title in doubles.

However, in 2015, Gabriela Ruffels transitioned from tennis to golf, seeking new challenges after growing weary of the tennis circuit. As an amateur golfer, she showcased her skills in tournaments across the USA, Singapore and Australia.

Her rapid adaptation and prowess on the golf course were evident in her rankings, securing the 9th spot in the Australian Women's Amateur in 2016 and 17th in 2017.

The tennis player-turned-golfer participated in numerous tournaments during her amateur career, earning several honors. Ruffels won the 2018 Windy City Collegiate Championship, the 2019 North and South Women's Amateur, the 2019 U.S. Women's Amateur and the 2020 Rebel Beach Intercollegiate.

In addition to this, Ruffels was also a part of the International team that won the 2019 Arnold Palmer Cup. She then stood as a runner-up at the 2020 U.S Women's Amateur. As she participated in the Epson Tour events, she made one cut in one start in 2020; with a T5 result at the Epson Tour Championship.

Besides, Gabriela Ruffels' older brother, Ryan Ruffels, was also engaged in tennis during his childhood, alongside soccer and golf. As he grew up, Ryan ultimately chose to pursue a professional career in golf and currently plays on the Korn Ferry Tour.

---

A closer look at Gabriela Ruffels’ professional journey

After competing in numerous golf tournaments, Gabriela Ruffels turned professional in 2021. She began her professional career by participating in events on the LPGA Tour, Symetra Tour and Ladies European Tour.

The 23-year-old golfer has secured three professional victories on the Epson Tour to date. Her successes include winning the Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic in 2023, as well as claiming two additional victories that same year at the Garden City Charity Classic at Buffalo Dunes and the Four Winds Invitational.

Her triumphs led to her being honored with the Epson Tour Player of the Year award, which further paved the way for her entry into the LPGA Tour by securing a tour card for the 2024 season.

This year, Ruffels has competed in three events. Her first was the LPGA Drive On Championship, where she did not make the cut. Following that, she played in the Blue Bay LPGA, finishing T15 on the leaderboard.

Her latest tournament, the Fir Hills Seri Pak Championship, saw her finish with a total score of 8 under par, tying for third place with Alison Lee. Currently, she is ranked 151st in the Rolex Rankings and has accumulated $149,273 in earnings from her participation in these events.