Asia-Pacific Women in the Groove in Rockville

Rockville, Maryland, United States: Defending champion Gabriela Ruffels will lead a 10-strong Asia-Pacific representation into the match play segment at the 120th US Women’s Amateur Championship.

Australian Ruffels ended the weather-hit stroke play phase at Woodmont Country Club in a share of fifth place, securing the number six seed for the second year in succession.

With a 36-hole total of 143, University of Southern California student Ruffels was one of only seven players to better par. American Rachel Heck claimed medallist honours on 140.

Joining Ruffels among the 64 players who qualified for the match play stage were fellow-Australians Emily Mahar and Kirsty Hodgkins (both 149), Malaysians Alyaa Abdulghany (144) and Natasha Andrea Oon (145), Thais Pimnipa Panthong (147) and Virunpat Olankitkunchai (150), China’s Ye Lei (148), Japan’s Yurika Tanida (149) and Korean Park Bo-hyun (149).

Due to Tuesday’s round being postponed, the Rounds of 32 and 16 will be played on Friday, and both the quarter-finals and semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday. The 36-hole championship match will take place on Sunday.

Ruffels, who faces South African Kajal Mistry in Thursday’s Round of 64, said she’s delighted to be taking part. “With everything going on, I did not think that they were going to hold the event. I didn't think that any sporting events were going to come back until next year.

“But once I found out, I was super excited and super happy to be back here and try and get it again.”