No more incognito: Ryan Ruffels brings massive YouTube following to Myrtle Beach in PGA Tour comeback

"I guess that plan is somewhat falling into place."

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Last man standing

Ruffels used his 20 career PGA starts to his advantage at The Q.

Grant Horvat, who won the Creator Classic Series event at TPC Sawgrass last year, jumped out to an early lead behind four consecutive birdies but it was Ruffels' bogey-free back nine that proved to be the trump card of the two-round event that started with match play contests at Rivers Edge Golf Club before being whittled down to the four players that advanced to Pawleys.

Ruffels was able play a round at Dunes Golf and Beach Club following his Q victory, his first experience at the course.

"It's a long course — that suits me," he said. "Driver I think is a really important part of my game, something that I always kind of go back on. ... I've become a really good chipper over the last kind of year or two. So if I need to scramble a little bit, I'll hopefully have that kind of to my advantage."

So what's the biggest difference between being a Tour professional and a social media star?

Ruffels says it's the cadence of which criticism is heard, obtained and learned from.

"It's not so intense every day in terms of critiquing myself and the different parts of my game, so it's allowed my kind of, I guess, natural talent and athleticism to shine a little bit more because I'm able to play more freely, and it's not everything to me every time I step up to the tee," he explained.

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• Steve Coulter,

• Steve Coulter,

The next Fitzpatricks?

Ruffels sister, Gabriela, has had her own success on the links. She finished T-9 at the 2025 Evian Championship, just a decade after leaving tennis for golf.

Winning has become part of her DNA, with the brother and sister duo claiming the most recent Grass League Championship in a team event.

"Just another thing that I didn't ever foresee happening that happened. I think if you're a brother-brother or a sister-sister kind of combination, you might get a chance to play like Alex and Matt did at the Zurich or, I'm sure Nelly and Jess maybe at a Solheim Cup, but as a brother-sister there's not many opportunities where you might get a chance to play with each other," Ryan said. "To be able to play with my sister, who is obviously a phenomenal player in her own right out on the LPGA Tour, was such a cool experience and to win that with her. Everyone has been telling me that she carried me, so this week maybe I can hold my own a little bit.

"I'll remember that forever, and I think she will as well," he added.

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• Associated Press,

• Associated Press,