Gabriela Ruffels drove from Orlando, Florida, to Mobile, Alabama, on a reconnaissance trip for the LPGA Q-Series in early November. Ten minutes out of court, a thought occurred to her: Had she entered the tournament?
Ruffels checked the player portal and saw that she had not registered. The TBEN for Q-Series – its last chance to qualify for the LPGA in 2023 – had passed almost a month earlier. Just two days after the Epson Tour final.
Needless to say it was a long and sad solo ride home.
“It was tough,” says Ruffels, a promising 22-year-old who finished 15th on the Epson Tour money list. The top 10 earns LPGA cards.
“I actually just called my entire team and let them know the situation… they were all extremely sad and disappointed. I think it was all down to me, and that’s something I need to work on – being more aware of deadlines.
The final stage of the LPGA Qualifier, an eight-round grind over two weeks, begins Thursday at Magnolia Grove in Mobile. A total of 45 players will receive LPGA status for 2023.
Ruffels, whose parents played professional tennis, will instead compete in her first ISPS Handa Australian Open this week. The event, which also starts on December 1, will be contested across Victoria and Kingston Heath Golf Clubs. Ruffels learned to play the game at Victoria Golf Club, and this is her first time in Melbourne in five years. She stays with friends near where she used to live and visits her favorite restaurants.
From there, the 2019 US Women’s Amateur Champion will head to Spain to compete at LET Q-School.
Gabriela Ruffels makes her tee off on the first hole during the first round of the 2022 US Women’s Open presented by ProMedica at Pine Needles Lodge & Golf Club in Southern Pines, NC on Thursday, June 2, 2022. (Photo: Darren Carroll/USGA )
Ruffels is working with former PGA Tour winner Grant Waite, who told her that the sooner they can overcome this misstep and keep working, “…the LPGA will come.”
Ruffels said she is inspired by what Linn Grant and Maja Stark have been able to accomplish on the LET this season, pointing to the jointly sanctioned events and majors that LET players can relate to. While that’s not possible on the Epson Tour, there are 10 LPGA cards at stake each season. She could have options.
“I definitely feel like I’m gaining more golf knowledge and knowledge about my own swing,” said Ruffels, who only started playing the game at age 15. The former USC star shot up the amateur ranks in a short period of time, but has had several speed bumps in her fledgling pro career.
Last year, Ruffels missed advancing to the Q-Series by a single stroke in Stage II.
This time it was the paperwork that kept her out. Both are brutal.
Story originally appeared on GolfWeek
