EPSON TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

October 8, 2023

Gabriela Ruffels

LPGA International, Jones Course

Quick Quotes

Q. All right, here with Gabby Ruffels, our Player of the Year, holding one of those coveted LPGA Tour cards. How excited are you to get to the LPGA Tour next season? What does this moment mean?

GABRIELA RUFFELS: Means everything. It's a dream come true. It was kind of surreal being at that card ceremony after last year and what happened with Q-School registration and everything. So super grateful to be here, and definitely a dream come true and I can't wait for next year.

Q. Three wins obviously. Just what's been the proudest accomplishment? Like you said, having that struggle last season, but coming back and winning three times this year and becoming Player of the Year, what's the proudest moment?

GABRIELA RUFFELS: I would say right here right now. Getting this award and getting Player of the Year is just awesome. I missed out marginally last year. I think 15th. So to not only get my card and finish in this way, I feel like I really kind of earned, it and that's the most gratifying thing.

Q. You're not the only Aussie that's gone to the tour from the Epson Tour. Going to join some big names, players like Karrie Webb. Player like Karrie, Hannah Green, and Minjee Lee, how much do they inspire you to go out and succeed?

GABRIELA RUFFELS: For sure. When I first started playing Hannah and Minjee were the top, even in amateur golf, and to see what they've done at pro level, I can only aspire to do the same. It's going to be fun playing alongside them next year and all the other Aussies that are doing well, too.

Looking forward to it, and hopefully I can do just as good as them.

Q. What's Karrie's influence been on you?

GABRIELA RUFFELS: Amazing. As an amateur I won her Karrie Webb Scholarship, and so I was able to stay with her for a week and get some funding from her. She's always there, watching us all. She is one of the first people to congratulate all of us Aussie girls when we win.

We're so grateful for her and we know we can ask her any questions and she's always there and great to all of us.

Q. What are you most looking forward to next season?

GABRIELA RUFFELS: Just getting out there and playing the tournaments that I've watched on TV and playing with some of the best golfers in world week in and week out. It's been a dream, and to have that dream realized is something so special. I can't wait to get out there.