She won’t officially join them until 2024 but Gabriela Ruffels has been welcomed into Australia’s LPGA family ahead of this week’s CPKC Women’s Open in Canada.

Ruffels’ third victory on the Epson Tour a fortnight ago solidified what we already knew; she will be a member of the LPGA Tour in 2024.

Official confirmation followed by a week off at home in Palm Springs has put Ruffels in a great frame of mind ahead of her fourth LPGA Tour start in 2023, her fellow Aussies ready to welcome her into the big time with open arms.

Minjee Lee, Hannah Green, Stephanie Kyriacou, Grace Kim, Su Oh and Karis Davidson are also in the field this week and Ruffels admitted that she will need to lean on their collective experience over the next 12 months.

“Last night a couple of Australian girls got together with my trainer as well from Golf Australia and give me a little cake that said, welcome to the LPGA,” revealed Ruffels.

“That was nice of them. It was nice to see that home country support.

“I feel like I need to rely on them a bit more, ask them a few more questions, pick their brain, especially non-golf stuff with travel.

“I was having a few rental car issues this week. They gave me a few hints.

“Definitely need to pick their brain a bit more about life on the road.

“It’s great to have that support, and they’re some of the nicest girls out here.

“It’s awesome to have a group of girls you know you can go to.”

Playing in what she described as a major-like field will come as no shock to Ruffels.

In fact, the greater the standard, the better the 23-year-old tends to play.

She finished top-15 in a major twice when still an amateur and this year was tied for 24th at the KPM Women’s PGA Championship and tied for 33rd at the US Women’s Open.

With three wins this season already and confidence at an all-time high, Ruffels is ready again to see how that form ranks among the world’s best who she will play against each and every week in 2024.

“I know this is one of the bigger events on the LPGA schedule, so I was super excited when I found out that I was going to come here,” Ruffels said of her tournament invitation to play at Shaughnessy Golf and Country Club in Vancouver.

“It is a really, really strong field and it’s almost has kind of a major feel out here.

“I can see they have the best players out here this week. It’s already been a great tournament and it’s only Wednesday.

“I’m excited to see how my game stacks up against the best in the word.”

Decorated Aussie amateur Sue Wooster is this week teeing it up alongside some of the greats of the women's game at the US Women's Senior Open Championship in Portland and there are six young Aussies contesting tournaments on the Epson Tour and LET Access Series.

Round 1 tee times AEST

LPGA Tour
CPKC Women’s Open
Shaughnessy G&CC, Vancouver, Canada
12.11am              Karis Davidson, Amanda Doherty, Sung Hyun Park
12.33am*            Maria Fassi, Jeongeun Lee6, Gabriela Ruffels
1.06am*              Lydia Ko (NZ), Andrea Lee, Lexi Thompson
1.17am*              Allisen Corpuz, Hannah Green, Yuka Saso
1.28am                Vanessa Borovilos (a), Stephanie Kyriacou, Samantha Wagner
5.26am*              Su Oh, Ellie Szeryk (a), Maddie Szeryk
6.10am                Jin Young Ko, Jennifer Kupcho, Minjee Lee
6.10am*              Megan Khang, Grace Kim, Ryann O’Toole

Defending champion: Paula Reto
Past Aussie winners: Katherine Kirk (2008)
TV times: Live 8.30am-11.30am Friday, Saturday; Live 9am-12pm Sunday, Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.

US Women’s Senior Open Championship
Waverley Country Club, Portland, Oregon
6.42am                Jenny Park-Choi, Sue Wooster (a), Lieschen Wienke

Defending champion: Jill McGill
Past Aussie winners: Nil
TV times: Live 7am-9am Sunday on Fox Sports 507; Live 8am-10am Monday on Fox Sports 506 and Kayo.

Epson Tour
Circling Raven Championship
Circling Raven GC, Worley, Idaho
11.27pm*            Siyun Liu, Hira Naveed, Kaleigh Telfer
11.38pm*            Robyn Choi, Becca Huffer, Agathe Laisne
11.55pm              Isabella Fierro, Mariel Galdiano, Amelia Garvey (NZ)

Defending champion: Jillian Hollis
Past Aussie winners: Nil

LET Access Series
Ahlsell Final At Elisefarm
Elisefarm GC, Sweden
4.22pm                Wenyung Keh (NZ), Georgia Coughlin, Vidhatri Urs
4.33pm*              Pasqualle Coffa, Stefanie Hall, Elice Fredriksson
9.12pm                Kristalle Blum, Tina Mazarino, Josefine Nyqvist
9.12pm*              My Leander, Kelsey Bennett, Cecilie Leth-Nissen
10.29pm              Lucie Andre, Amy Walsh, Hanna Nilsson

Defending champion: Josephine Janson (2017)
Past Aussie winners: Nil