For the last two years, Dorman senior Wil Ruth has done almost everything a junior golfer can do to prove himself — winning high-profile tournaments, coming up big in clutch moments, and posting results that should make him a contender every time he tees it up.

Yet somehow, Ruth continues to play with something to prove.

The future UNC Wilmington golfer says he doesn’t mind being left off the “top juniors” lists — it fuels him.

“I guess I do play with a chip on my shoulder,” Ruth said. “There are a lot of really good players in the Carolinas, and I’ve been able to hang in there with a lot of them.”

And just as often, he beats them.

Last weekend at Camden Country Club, Ruth added another big win to his resume, capturing The Creed Junior — widely considered one of the toughest fields outside of the Carolinas Junior Championship.

After an opening-round 70 left him two shots behind Spartanburg’s Davis Petty, Ruth stayed patient.

“I bogeyed three of my last four holes, but I made some birdies early so I finished even,” he said.

Saturday’s 36-hole grind turned the tide. Petty faltered with three double bogeys while Ruth put together a bogey-free 68 to take the lead.

“Camden is so tight — you have to stay in the fairway if you expect to post a good score,” Ruth said. “I kept the ball in play and didn’t get in much trouble.”

On Sunday, Ruth closed with a 71 — the only player in the field to finish under par — and claimed a three-shot victory with a 209 total.

The win was historic: Ruth became the first South Carolina junior to win The Creed since fellow Dorman standout Nathan Franks in 2020.

“I felt like I was in control of the tournament,” Ruth said. “Maybe I only had a one-shot lead, but I felt like I had control of the round.”

This is just the latest chapter in Ruth’s run of big wins:

Southern Cross Champion – thanks to an eagle-2 on the final hole.

• Back-to-Back 5A Medalist – forcing playoffs two years in a row to take state honors.
• The Blade Champion – defeating a field loaded with the state’s best.
• Palmetto Championship Winner – topping a Southeast-wide field of nationally ranked players.

Ironically, Camden is also where Ruth played his very first tournament — and posted what he remembers as “a 50 or 60 for nine holes.”

“This is a much better way to finish at Camden — with a win,” he said with a smile.

Now, the question is whether Ruth’s record will finally earn him an invitation to the prestigious Bobby Chapman Junior at the Country Club of Spartanburg in October.

Last year, Ruth was left out despite a resume that stacked up against — and in some cases exceeded — other in-state invitees.

“The underdog thing comes from being overlooked and underrated over the years,” Ruth said. “It probably gives me a little extra incentive to play better and prove what I can do.”

Given his track record, Ruth has already done exactly that.