Sun Jul 13 13:20:00 UTC 2025: ## Summary:

Former tennis hopefuls Cara Gainer and Gabriela Ruffels, now ranked 129th and 71st respectively in women’s golf, surged to the top of the leaderboard at the Evian Championship. They share the lead at 11-under after impressive third rounds. However, they face stiff competition from top-ranked players like Minjee Lee, who’s aiming for back-to-back major wins, and Jeeno Thitikul. Both Gainer and Ruffels have a strong connection to tennis, having initially pursued careers in the sport before transitioning to golf around the age of 14.

## News Article:

**From Tennis Courts to Fairways: Gainer and Ruffels Lead Evian Championship After Stunning Rounds**

EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France – In a remarkable turn of events, former tennis prodigies Cara Gainer and Gabriela Ruffels find themselves leading the Evian Championship, one of women’s golf’s major tournaments. The pair, both ranked outside the top 70 in the world, carded stellar rounds on Saturday to seize a shared lead at 11-under par.

Gainer, an Englishwoman ranked 129th, fired a blistering 7-under 64, while Australian Ruffels, ranked 71st, posted a 66. The unlikely leaders now face a daunting task as they head into Sunday’s final round with a host of golf’s elite breathing down their necks.

Among those chasing the leaders is World No. 6 Minjee Lee, fresh off a victory at the Women’s PGA Championship, who sits just one stroke back after a 66 of her own. Lee is aiming to become the first player since Inbee Park in 2013 to win consecutive majors. World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul, along with Somi Lee and Grace Kim, are also in contention, tied for third place at 10-under.

The story of Gainer and Ruffels is an unusual one. Both women initially pursued professional tennis careers before switching to golf in their early teens. Gainer, now 29, still holds a fondness for tennis and has been following Wimbledon closely this week. Ruffels, 25, whose father was a tennis pro and Wimbledon mixed doubles finalist, even visited Wimbledon before the tournament to unwind.

“It was such a cool experience,” Ruffels said. “It was great to relax and not touch the clubs for a few days and get over jet lag. Seems to have worked this week.”

Whether their tennis backgrounds will give them an edge remains to be seen. But one thing is certain: Sunday’s final round at the Evian Championship promises to be a thrilling battle for the major title, featuring a unique blend of established stars and unexpected contenders.

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