Will Ruth Adds Another Trophy—And This Time, No Heroics Required

Some golfers win with flair. Will Ruth has made a habit of it. And just when you think he’s out of a tournament—he finds a way back in.

There was the eagle on 18 to win the Southern Cross at Palmetto Golf Club. Then another walk-off eagle to force a playoff—and eventual victory—in the 5A High School State Championship.

Dramatic moments have defined Ruth’s resume. But not every win comes with fireworks. And that’s exactly what made his latest title at The Blade Junior Classic so satisfying.

“This time,” Ruth said with a grin,
“it felt better just chipping up and walking off at the end.”

Don’t mistake that for a cautious turn. Ruth’s string of jaw-dropping moments continued this year with a playoff win over Jackson Byrd, one of the country’s top juniors, and a comeback from five shots down on the back nine to win a second straight 5A state title.

Starting back in the spring during the high school season, things didn’t always click.
A demanding class load limited tournament play. And while he opened the season with a win at the Red Raider Invitational, a stretch of “good-not-great” finishes cooled his chase for the Jay Haas Junior Player of the Year until his win at this year’s Blade Junior.

“I hadn’t really put the summer together the way I wanted,” Ruth said.
“This was one I really wanted to get.”

At The Blade, he didn’t need a miracle. Just steady, confident golf. After briefly falling seven shots off the lead in the second round, Ruth regrouped and surged ahead, pulling away with a composed final round to win by three over Caden Olsommer.

“I thought I could be out of it,” he said.
“But I kept myself in it. Stayed patient. It’s a lot better than trying to make an eagle to force a playoff.”

A More Measured Season

Ruth entered the year with clear goals: defend his titles, pick up a few more, and contend for Player of the Year. But school, fatigue, and the realities of tournament golf led to a more selective schedule.

“I’d love to play every SCJGA event,” Ruth said.
“But it’s a marathon, not a sprint. You’ve got to keep yourself from getting worn out.”

Some tournaments came off the calendar. Others didn’t go his way. At times, he wondered if the Player of the Year race had slipped away.

Now, with three big wins and his college future locked in at UNC Wilmington, Ruth can focus on the tournaments—and goals—that matter most.

“It’d be cool to be Jay Haas Player of the Year,” he said.
“I’m not ruling it out.”

And you shouldn’t either. If there’s one thing we’ve learned about Will Ruth—it’s that no matter the score, he’s never out of it.

Scores from the 2025 Blade Junior https://scjga.bluegolf.com/bluegolf/scjga25/event/scjga2515/contest/1/leaderboard.htm