Ruffels leads Aussie charge towards more major glory
The gifted allrounder Ruffels is joint-leader at 11 under par alongside a fellow tennis-lover, Englishwoman Cara Gainer, going into the last round of the fourth major of the season at the Evian Resort Club.
But just a shot behind, amid a four-way tie for third place, are two of Ruffels' Aussie colleagues, Grace Kim and Minjee Lee, who's still in a great position to gun for her fourth major title and her second in just three weeks after her Women's PGA title triumph.
Gabi Ruffels proving she's got game 🫡She had this rock solid approach and quick birdie putt to join the lead at -11 pic.twitter.com/ACOAoUse6z
— LPGA (@LPGA) July 12, 2025
In glorious weather at the picturesque course overlooking Lake Geneva, it proved a spectacular moving day for the Australian assault at a tournament where they've enjoyed considerable success, with Minjee Lee having won her first major there in 2021 and Steph Kyriacou finishing runner-up last year.
Ruffels, who had started unpromisingly with a bogey, put herself on pole position with six birdies, including a brilliant late burst of four in the last eight holes that pushed her atop the leaderboard alongside Gainer, whose 64 was the second-best round of the afternoon.
Lee, who had begun well in Thursday before a second-round struggle, reignited her challenge with a flawless 66, featuring five birdies, while Kim birdied her last hole for a one-under 70.
A closing birdie for Grace Kim puts her one back with one round left to play 🔥 pic.twitter.com/VBsTT8sUHx
— LPGA (@LPGA) July 12, 2025
The pair are level with world No.2 Jeeno Thitikul and South Korea's Somi Lee at 10 under for the championship on a quality-packed leaderboard, although world No.1 Nelly Korda was out of the picture after a hugely disappointing 75 left her 10 off the pace.
World No.71 Ruffels and No.129 Gainer felt like an unlikely pair to go out last on Sunday but they have plenty in common, with both having dreamed of one day being professional tennis players and having come close to achieving their ambition.
Now, they're shooting for the biggest prize of their lives in their adopted sport.
American-born, Melbourne-raised Ruffels was once Australia's top junior player before turning her attention to golf at the age of 14, and she's carved out an ever improving career, becoming US Women's Amateur champion in 2019.
But she's never turned her back on tennis, having enjoyed a refreshing break with her boyfriend at Wimbledon as a guest of doubles great Todd Woodbridge before setting off for the French Alps.
"It was such a cool experience," Ruffels smiled. "It was great to relax and not touch the clubs for a few days and get over jet lag. Seems to have worked this week."
The 29-year-old Gainer, too, admits: "Tennis was, I guess, my first love." But she turned to golf at 14 and quickly started playing off scratch.
"I do still really enjoy it. I don't really play any more but I love to watch it. Obviously Wimbledon is on this week so that's my evening," she said, as her round finished just before Amanda Anisimova and Iga Swiatek were due to go on court for the Wimbledon Ladies' final.
Perth's world No.6 Lee could yet still be the one they have to beat s she seeks to become the first woman since Inbee Park in 2013 to capture back-to-back majors, but Kyriacou looks to be out of the hunt after a 74 left her alongside Korda at one-under.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Arsenal sign Viktor Gyokeres
Arsenal have completed the signing of Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP, ending a long pursuit of a striker seen as crucial to Mikel Arteta's plans. Photo via The Sweden international joins for an initial €63.5 million, with a further €10 million payable in add-ons linked to individual and team achievements. The structure of those add-ons was the last obstacle to overcome, with Sporting pushing for payments that would effectively be guaranteed. The eventual compromise was reportedly €1.25m due every 20 games (up to a limit of €5m), €0.5m every 20 goal contributions (up to a limit of €1m), and €1m every Champions League League Phase qualification (up to a limit of €4m). Sporting will have to send around £4.3m of the initial payment on to Coventry City, Gyokeres' former club, due to a sell-on clause. His agent, Hasan Cetinkaya, waived his 10 per cent commission to help the deal go through. Photo byAbout the move, Mikel Arteta said, 'We're absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyökeres to the club. The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves. 'Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels. He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals.' Andrea Berta added, 'We are so pleased with the excellent deal we have completed to bring Viktor Gyökeres to the club. Viktor is an exceptional talent and has consistently demonstrated he has the qualities and winning mentality required of a top-level centre-forward. His physicality, intelligence and work ethic make him a perfect fit for our vision. 'We are confident Viktor will have a major impact on the pitch and become an important figure in our dressing room. Welcome, Viktor!' Arsenal confirm Gyokeres will wear the number 14 and immediately join up with the first-team for pre-season. Photo byGyokeres, 27, arrives after an outstanding season in Portugal where his physicality, movement and finishing drew interest from several top European clubs. Arsenal's need for a focal point in attack has been a recurring theme over recent windows, and Gyokeres is seen as the solution after the club explored multiple options before committing fully to the deal. With the signing now complete, Arsenal have their man and a contract designed to secure one of Europe's most productive strikers for the prime years of his career.
NBC Sports
25 minutes ago
- NBC Sports
Lottie Woad keeps two-shot lead in bid to win pro debut at Women's Scottish Open
Watch highlights from Round 3 action of the ISPS Handa Women's Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in North Ayrshire, Scotland. IRVINE, Scotland — Lottie Woad had four birdies in a six-hole stretch around the turn and posted a 5-under 67 on Saturday to maintain her two-shot lead in the Women's Scottish Open as she closes in on victory in her professional debut. Woad has such control of her game at Dundonald Links that she went 33 consecutive holes without a bogey until dropping a shot on the 15th. Her lead was down to one shot, but the 21-year-old from England responded with a short wedge she played perfectly on the 17th, leaving her an 8-foot birdie putt she converted. A closing par put her at 17-under 199. Nanna Koerstz Madsen of Denmark, who caught Woad early with an eagle on the par-5 third hole, fell behind after Woad's birdie streak. But the Dane rallied with three straight birdies and a couple of par saves for a 67. She was two shots behind, along with Sei Young Kim (66), who made a long eagle putt on the 14th and got up-and-down for birdie on the par-5 closing hole to get within two shots. Nelly Korda played bogey-free, but the American managed only two birdies on another relatively calm day by Scottish standards. Her 70 left her five shots behind Woad, who already has had a golden summer in Europe. Woad, who won the Augusta National Women's Amateur in 2024 and rose to No. 1 in the women's amateur ranking that year, won the Irish Women's Open three weeks ago on the Ladies European Tour. Then she missed the playoff by one shot in the Evian Championship. But her tie for third in the LPGA major earned her a tour card, and she decided to skip her senior year at Florida State and turn pro. And now she has a chance to win in her debut. 'That's the aim, to shoot as low as possible and keep giving myself chances,' Woad said. 'If someone shoots lights out, fair enough. I'm excited for the opportunity. I've got the experience and I'll try to use that.' Kim has 12 titles on the LPGA, including the Women's PGA Championship in 2020 at Aronimink, though she is coming up on five years since her last win. She will be in final group Sunday with Woad and Madsen. Korda, meanwhile, has a lot of ground to make up if she wants to end her surprising drought. She won seven times last season on the LPGA and still has yet to win this year. 'Wasn't hitting it probably as good as I was the first two days,' Korda said. 'I made some really good par saves and just didn't really capitalize on some of my good shots. But that's golf. That's OK. I still have tomorrow.' Woad will try to match Rose Zhang by winning on the LPGA in her pro debut. Zhang did that at Liberty National two years ago in the Mizuho Americas Open. The Women's Scottish Open is co-sanctioned by the LPGA and the LET.
Associated Press
28 minutes ago
- Associated Press
Norris takes pole for F1's Belgian Grand Prix after Verstappen wins sprint
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] SPA-FRANCORCHAMPS, Belgium (AP) — Lando Norris took pole position Saturday for Formula 1's Belgian Grand Prix after Max Verstappen won the sprint race earlier in the day. Norris set the fastest time early in the final session. His McLaren teammate and title rival Oscar Piastri couldn't quite beat it on his final run, taking second place, 0.085 of a second off Norris' pace. Charles Leclerc was third for Ferrari, with Verstappen fourth. The performance delighted Norris' mother Cisca, who is Belgian, as she made a heart gesture with her hands while watching from the McLaren garage. Norris is targeting his third straight win in a Grand Prix race and is the first McLaren driver on pole in Belgium since Jenson Button in 2012. 'The car has been been flying all weekend, Oscar has been doing a good job all weekend, so we're pushing each other a lot,' Norris said. 'It's tough because you see where your strengths and weaknesses are easily and you learn from each other quickly. It's a good but tough battle that we have at the minute.' Rain is expected for Sunday, setting up the prospect of another wet-weather battle between the two McLarens after Norris won a thrilling race at his home British Grand Prix. Norris said it could be a 'Silverstone-esque' race with plenty of chaos, or tricky conditions if only part of the circuit, the longest on the F1 calendar, gets wet and other areas stay dry. Hamilton struggles again Lewis Hamilton's disappointing weekend continued with 16th in qualifying after his best lap time was ruled out because he'd strayed off track. The day before, the Ferrari driver was 18th in qualifying for the sprint race following a spin. Hamilton had declared Thursday it was 'crunch time' after struggling for much of his first season with Ferrari. Verstappen's teammate Yuki Tsunoda is set to start eighth, his best qualifying result of an otherwise disappointing time since joining Red Bull after two races of the 2025 season. Verstappen's sprint win Verstappen overtook Piastri and drove '15 qualifying laps' to win the sprint race at the Belgian GP as Red Bull begins a new era without fired team principal Christian Horner . Verstappen surged past Piastri on the straight on the first lap. The Australian was close behind Verstappen for the rest of the 15-lap sprint race but couldn't find a way past the four-time champion. Norris, in the other McLaren, was third after retaking the place from Ferrari's Charles Leclerc and catching up to Piastri. 'You're keeping faster cars behind, so you have to drive over the limit of what you think is possible,' Verstappen said. 'Tire management is out of the window, so that's what's making it really difficult. I'm just doing 15 qualifying laps to try and keep them behind on a track where tire management is important.' It was Verstappen's first race win of any sort since the Emilia-Romagna Grand Prix in May, and his first in a sprint since the United States Grand Prix last October. Piastri extends his lead over Norris in the standings to nine points from eight. Verstappen is third, 68 points off the lead. Leclerc held on to fourth and it was an impressive result for Haas, with Esteban Ocon fifth and Oliver Bearman seventh. Carlos Sainz, Jr. was sixth for Williams and Isack Hadjar took the final point for Racing Bulls in eighth. ___ AP auto racing:
