TEMPE, Ariz. — The Grass League Championship concluded Saturday in dramatic fashion, as the LA Roses’ Gabriela and Ryan Ruffels held off Kevin Lucas and Matt Ryan of the San Diego Munis for a one-shot victory. Despite finishing runner-up in the event, the Munis captured the season-long points title, capping off a tremendous season.
Starting the final round four back, the Ruffels siblings, playing in their first team event, fired a sizzling 13-under 41 at Grass Clippings Rolling Hills to surge into the lead. They finished the championship at 21 under and survived a 10-foot putt on 18, which the Lucas/Ryan team missed to force a playoff.
“My ball striking was maybe the best it’s ever been, and I’ve never seen someone hole as many putts as Gabi did,” older brother Ryan said. “I think I putted one time on the front nine.”
For Gabi, an LPGA professional and former U.S. Women’s Amateur champion, the win isn’t the biggest of her career, but it’s certainly one of the most memorable. “It was so special getting to play with him, let alone win,” she said. “I don’t know of any other sport or format where that could happen… it was a really fun experience.”
A dramatic finish coupled with the event’s high-energy atmosphere was an appropriate embodiment for the league and its goals. When asked about the competition, co-founder Jimmy Hoselton said, “Don’t let the lights and the loud music fool you, this is serious, high stakes, competitive golf… having Golf Channel here to televise is just a testament to that.”
The Hoselton brothers, Jimmy and Jake, have worked hard to build the league’s loud and fun environment while maintaining focus on the competition. “Par 3 golf is a stand-alone sport,” said Jake. “You see a diverse, broad range of golfers competing.”
The league is a unique blend of professional and amateur golfers, both male and female. Gabi and Ryan Ruffels are both pros. Gabi was named 2023 Epson Tour Player of the Year and has 12 top-25 finishes on the LPGA Tour since joining in ’24. Ryan made his PGA Tour debut at age 17 and has competed in 20 events. He continues to play professionally and is also in the YouTube golf space as a member of “The Lads” alongside Jason Day.
Other pros in the field included former PGA Tour players Colt Knost and Scott Harrington, who teamed up to play for the Hollywood Hitters.
“People joke because Scott and I both played on the PGA Tour that we should be the favorites,” Knost said. “There’s a lot of really good players out here and with it being a scramble par-3 format, anyone can win.”
The duo played well on Saturday and finished in a tie for eighth place. “I encourage anybody to come out, whether it’s to play or watch, you’re not going to regret it,” Knost said.
Beyond the players’ performance, many reflected on how the Grass League fits within the modern golf landscape. Ryan Ruffels said he thinks that more LPGA and former or aspiring PGA Tour players will continue to participate, not only because it’s fun, but because it helps sharpen the game.
“Par 3 golf isolates two of the most important parts of the game — iron play and putting,” Ryan said. “To do that at night, when generally golf is not on or being played, creates a very fun and unique atmosphere.”
Gabi added, “I’m very passionate about any initiatives to try and grow the game… I think it’s a pathway that golf could definitely go down to attract more people.”
For fans interested in participating, the Grass League is open to all and will host a qualifier in February. Following that, franchises will meet in April to draft players who make it through qualifying. “One of the things that’s really unique is that any aspiring golfer or anyone out there who loves the game actually has an opportunity to join a franchise,” said Jimmy Hoselton.
Since its inception in 2023, the Grass League has grown significantly. The league secured $2.75 million in its latest round of funding, a testament to the growing interest. Just ahead of this year’s championship, the league also announced its newest franchise in the Las Vegas Action. The Action is owned by The Sports Group Endeavors and was acquired for a record sale of $1 million.
Going forward, Jake Hoselton says the league will continue to add tournaments and sell roughly one franchise per season. They also have sights set on international expansion. “We really want to see a franchise from an international market come in in a big way… we see this as being bigger than just the United States.”