Gabriela Ruffels

Australian American former tennis player and current professional golfer. Starting at the age of eight, Ruffels started playing tennis and won twenty one International Tennis Federation doubles events in Europe. She also was the number one ranking Australian junior when she was twelve. After switching from tennis to golf in 2015, Ruffels primarily competed in Australia from 2016 to 2017. In 2018, Ruffels joined the USC Trojans women's golf team at the University of Southern California. With USC, Ruffels appeared at the NCAA Division I Women's Golf Championships from 2018 to 2019 in both the individual and team events.

During this time period, Ruffels became the first ever Australian to win the U.S. Women's Amateur in 2019. In professional events, Ruffels was tied for 13th at the 2020 U.S. Women's Open and the 2020 Women's British Open. At the ANA Inspiration, Ruffels was tied for fifteenth in 2020 and tied for nineteenth in 2021. During the 2021 Women's PGA Championship, Ruffels finished the event in a tie for thirty-third place. Ruffels announced her decision to turn professional on February 10, 2021. As a professional golfer that year, Ruffels primarily competed in LPGA Tour events while also appearing at the Symetra Tour and Ladies European Tour. During golf events held in 2021, Ruffels was fourth at the IOA Championship and tied for seventeenth at the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open.

In professional events, Ruffels was cut in the 2016 and 2017 Women's Victorian Open on the ALPG Tour. A few years later, Ruffels missed the cut in the 2019 U.S. Women's Open. In Japan, Ruffels also missed the cut at the Suntory Ladies Open and Japan Women's Open Golf Championship during 2019. During 2020, Ruffels had a 13th place tie at the 2020 U.S. Women's Open and a 15th place tie at the 2020 ANA Inspiration. Outside of the United States, Ruffels had a 13th place tie at the 2020 Women's British Open.

In 2021, Ruffels became a professional golfer upon her debut at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio. Throughout the year, Ruffels primarily played on the LPGA Tour while also competing on the Symetra Tour and Ladies European Tour. Her highest finishes that season were fourth place at the IOA Championship and a tie for 17th place at the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open. She also tied for 19th place during the 2021 ANA Inspiration and tied for 33rd place during the 2021 Women's PGA Championship.

Her first professional win came at the 2023 Carlisle Arizona Women's Golf Classic on the Epson Tour.

Ruffles became the first Australian to win the Epson Tour Player of the Year Award in 2023, gaining her LPGA Tour card for the 2024 season.