Unruffled Ruffels wins U.S. Women's Amateur with clutch finish
(Reuters) - Teenager Gabriela Ruffels became the first Australian to win the U.S. Women's Amateur championship when she birdied the final two holes to beat Albane Valenzuela 1-up in the 36-hole final in Mississippi on Sunday.
Ruffels, the daughter of former professional tennis players Ray Ruffels and Anna-Maria Fernandez, was behind for most of the final at the Old Waverly course in West Point.
But she proved clutch at the end, hitting a series of magnificent iron shots to clinch victory with four birdies in the final five holes.
"This is my dream, my goal," said 19-year-old Ruffels at the victory presentation.
"I've worked so hard to get here. It was a great match. It could have gone either way but I'm so glad I have the trophy. I wanted it so bad."
Valenzuela, 21, who was attempting to become the first Swiss winner, was also the losing finalist two years ago.
"It's hard to be that close. I fought hard so there's nothing to regret," she said.
It was only the second time in the past century that the final pitted two non-American players, though both Ruffels and Valenzuela attend university in the United States.
Ruffels was the third Australian finalist, after Lindy Goggin (1981) and Anne-Marie Knight (1995), who both lost the title match.
As if the pressure of playing the final was not enough, Ruffels had to switch bag carriers with a few holes left when her coach/caddie had to leave to catch a flight.
But she remained unruffled, hitting a soaring four-iron into the 33rd hole, the par-five 15th, for a two-putt birdie that tied it up.
Ruffels took the lead two holes later when she fired a six-iron to eight feet at the par-three and sank the birdie putt.
She closed it out in style at the par-four 18th by holing a 15-foot birdie putt that barely toppled in on its final revolution.
(Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Ian Chadband)
