Ruffels will make her fifth U.S. Women's Open start and third as a professional. She originally qualified for the championship by shooting 6-under-par 136 to earn medalist honors at the San Joaquin Country Club qualifier in Fresno, Calif. But good results on the LPGA Tour over the past few weeks vaulted her inside the top 75 of the Rolex Rankings, thus making her exempt at the second cutoff on May 26. Since turning pro in early 2021 and giving up her final semester of eligibility at the University of Southern California, Ruffels has registered three victories, all coming on the Epson Tour in 2023. That includes the Garden City Charity Classic, where she carded an opening-round 62. She also owns a victory on the Cactus Tour in Canada. She became the first Australian to win Player of the Year honors on the Epson Tour, and finishing atop the money list garnered Ruffels an LPGA Tour card for the 2024 season. Prior to turning pro, Ruffels claimed the 2019 U.S. Women's Amateur at Old Waverly Golf Club in West Point, Miss., 1 up, over current LPGA Tour player Albane Valenzuela, and then lost the title match the following year to Rose Zhang in 38 holes at Woodmont C.C. in Rockville, Md. Ruffels comes from an athletic family. Her father, Ray, was a world-class tennis player, winning the Australian Open doubles title in 1977, and her mother, Anna-Maria, won an AIAW national singles title for USC before the NCAA began sanctioning women's intercollegiate sports in 1982. Gabriela’s older brother, Ryan, also is a professional golfer. Gabriela was a top tennis player in Australia before turning to golf. Prior to winning the U.S. Women’s Amateur, Ruffels claimed the prestigious Women’s North & South Amateur at Pinehurst. Ruffels helped the Trojans reach the semifinals of the NCAA Championship in 2018 and the quarterfinals the following year. She also represented the International Team in the 2019 Palmer Cup.
