University Southern California Trojans
Players Mentioned
Gabriela Ruffels
Photo by: John McGillen/USC Athletics
Ruffels Reaches U.S. Women's Amateur Final
August 10, 2019 | Women's Golf, Features
Rising junior downed Stanford's Lee in semifinals, will face Cardinal's Valenzuela in final.
Rising junior All-American Gabriela Ruffels' streak as one of the hottest amateurs in the world continued Saturday (Aug. 10) with a 2up win over Stanford rival Andrea Lee to earn a trip to the 36-hole 2019 U.S. Women's Amateur final at Old Waverly G.C. in West Point, Miss.
Ruffels, who three weeks ago won the 2019 North & South Amateur Championship with five straight match play wins, extended her match play win streak to 10 with the close victory over Stanford rival Lee.
It set up a title match against another Stanford All-American in Albane Valenzuela, who won her match on the first extra hole. The pair will begin their 36-hole final at 5:30 a.m. PT. Valenzuela was also a finalist in 2017.
Fox Sports 1 is scheduled to begin coverage at 11 a.m. PT.
Ruffels, with USC head coach Justin Silverstein as caddie, trailed briefly after two holes before evening the match on 4. She won holes 6, 7 and 4 to take a three-hole lead, which she held through 13.
Lee, who lost to Ruffels in the decisive East Lake Cup title match last fall, mounted a comeback to pull to within a hole with wins on 14 and 17, but Ruffels sealed the semifinal win with a par on 18.
"We both got off to a shaky start," Ruffels said. "I mean this is the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur. I think there are going to be a little nerves. But I'm glad I just kind of stuck with it, kind of kept my head down, hit some fairways, hit some greens and made some putts."
Ruffels was joined in the 64-woman match play bracket by teammates Allisen Corpuz and Malia Nam. Corpuz reached the round of 16 (after reaching the quarters of the North and South) while Nam bowed out in the first round.
Ruffels, who three weeks ago won the 2019 North & South Amateur Championship with five straight match play wins, extended her match play win streak to 10 with the close victory over Stanford rival Lee.
It set up a title match against another Stanford All-American in Albane Valenzuela, who won her match on the first extra hole. The pair will begin their 36-hole final at 5:30 a.m. PT. Valenzuela was also a finalist in 2017.
Fox Sports 1 is scheduled to begin coverage at 11 a.m. PT.
Ruffels, with USC head coach Justin Silverstein as caddie, trailed briefly after two holes before evening the match on 4. She won holes 6, 7 and 4 to take a three-hole lead, which she held through 13.
Lee, who lost to Ruffels in the decisive East Lake Cup title match last fall, mounted a comeback to pull to within a hole with wins on 14 and 17, but Ruffels sealed the semifinal win with a par on 18.
"We both got off to a shaky start," Ruffels said. "I mean this is the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur. I think there are going to be a little nerves. But I'm glad I just kind of stuck with it, kind of kept my head down, hit some fairways, hit some greens and made some putts."
Ruffels was joined in the 64-woman match play bracket by teammates Allisen Corpuz and Malia Nam. Corpuz reached the round of 16 (after reaching the quarters of the North and South) while Nam bowed out in the first round.
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