After she won Player of the Year honors on the Epson Tour, Gabriela Ruffels admits her expectations were up after a very solid rookie campaign on the LPGA Tour. Following a bit of an opening-stretch struggle, she feels like things are turning around at a good time of the 2025 LPGA Tour season.

Ruffels opened with a 7-under 65 at the LOTTE Championship presented by Hoakalei and was just one shot back of the lead after the morning wave finished play in Hawaii as she hunts for her first LPGA Tour title.

The Australian missed just two greens and two fairways in the first round. She started with a bang, making four birdies in her first five holes at Hoakalei Country Club. Ruffels then made three birdies as she made the turn on Nos. 18, 1 and 2, closing with a steady stretch to get into the house with a 65.

She was just one shot back of the 18-hole lead, held by Japanese rookie Akie Iwai.

“It was good. I was 4-under through the front nine and things seemed pretty easy out there,” Ruffels said. “It was really cool out there, kind of feeding off our group.”

Ruffels has notched just one top-10 finish so far this season, one that came at The Amundi Evian Championship. That marked her first top 10 in a major tournament after coming into the 2024 LPGA Tour campaign on the back of a celebrated Epson Tour season in 2023, where her Player of the Year recognition came on the back of three victories.

Ruffels has, statistically, had a very solid ball-striking season on the LPGA Tour in 2025. But the putter is the club with which she lives or dies, as she sits 137th on the LPGA Tour in strokes gained putting.

But Wednesday in Hawaii was as solid a day on the greens as Ruffels has had all season.

“I was hitting my driver really good and had a lot of short irons in and was hitting those pretty good, too. So had a lot of putts inside eight feet for birdie on the front and then made some good ones on the back to finish 7-under,” Ruffels said of her 65. “I didn't have a great start to this year, but I feel like things are getting there a little bit more. I'm definitely seeing the improvement and the hard work with my coach.

“I feel like I'm starting to play a bit better and still have a few tournaments left for the rest of the year.”

Ruffels said she and her coach have been working on having her understand her swing more in case it gets out of whack and she needs to work through a fix either on the road or on the golf course.

But with her aforementioned ranking in the LPGA Tour in putting, Ruffels said her effort on the greens is always a work in progress.

“I've been working hard on my putting with my coach as well, so I feel like that stuff is getting easier to do in competition mode,” Ruffels said.

Ruffels had a delightfully early tee time on day one in Hawaii and said there was almost no wind to speak of. With her teeing up in the afternoon for the second round, she knows it’ll be trickier and tougher to shoot a low number.

But with a poise that belies her years, she said the key is going to be patient with the wind – while also just enjoying “being in Hawaii.”

Admittedly “a bit of foodie,” Ruffels said her week has been wrapped in trying local food and going to the beach.

“It’s not a bad place to be playing a golf tournament,” Ruffels said.

Hawaii isn’t a bad place to try to win a golf tournament, either.

Gabriela Ruffels Runs Up Leaderboard Early After Strong Start in Hawaii

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