The Australian, bidding to become a back-to-back champion at one of the biggest events in amateur golf, saw a putt hit the lip and fail to fall on the second hole of sudden-death after the pair finished 36 holes all square.

Having won the year before, and with two top-15 results at majors earlier in 2020 (another would come the same month) Ruffels was clearly ready to take the pro plunge and expectations were high for the former top-ranked tennis junior.

The American-based Aussie continued to impress when afforded opportunities, but with COVID largely to blame, those became increasingly few and far between.

When things did start to return to some sort of normality, Ruffels was ready as she continued to learn the game having only truly taken to it in 2015 although a failure to file her Q-Series entry for the LPGA Tour saw her taking up membership on the Ladies European Tour and Epson Tour.

Taking to those like a duck to water, or the daughter of two professional tennis players to junior tennis, Ruffels now looks almost guaranteed of earning her place on the biggest stage of the women’s game. One she is playing on this week at the U.S Women’s Open at Pebble Beach.

Zhang has the eyes of the golf world on her every move, including this week at Pebble Beach. PHOTO: USGA.

Also in the field is Zhang, who continued her amateur career after her match with Ruffels, and won trophies for fun. Name a big women’s amateur event, and Rose has likely won it, then she turned pro and won her first LPGA start.

Those varied journeys to Pebble Beach have meant different levels of attention and expectation on the pair, with Zhang hyped to the extreme in every way as the next great thing in the game, with her college ties to Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie West regularly mentioned but perhaps cautionary tales.

The American has only just left her teen years, and while clearly an exceptional talent, is being pulled in every direction imaginable, including this week when she has received more attention than fellow 20-year-old Ruoning Yin who is now a major champion.

In contrast, Ruffels sat down with some Australian reporters on Monday morning as her pre-tournament commitments chatting casually about her game and career, one following a more classic journey of days gone by, working the way up through the ranks once entering the play-for-pay ranks. And one Ruffels is thankful for when compared with what Zhang has on her plate.

"Like the Victorian herself, it is hard to imagine wanting to trade places as you grow as a player and person in such a bright spotlight. A spotlight that could be immeasurably brighter for both at the conclusion of this week at Pebble Beach."

“For sure,” Ruffels said of enjoying her relative lack of attention compared to Zhang. “I think that was also what was great about missing Q-Series, is that I have really had to work my way up and get confidence from each stage, I guess. Getting to the next stage feeling like I really deserved it.

Had that putt at the 38th hole gone in for Ruffels, she well could have been saddled with similar to Zhang, although as she points out the Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion from this year is built different.

“I did notice all the pressure she had on herself when she first turned pro, but look how she handled it. She’s kind of one of kind,’ Ruffels said.

“We all have our own journeys and that’s hers and this is mine, can’t really go back but it’s pretty amazing what she’s been able to do.”

There are plenty of cautionary tales of can’t miss kids before Zhang, and Ruffels’ own journey has no guarantees about it either.

However, like the Victorian herself, it is hard to imagine wanting to trade places as you grow as a player and person in such a bright spotlight.

A spotlight that could be immeasurably brighter for both at the conclusion of this week at Pebble Beach.