Amari Avery is living proof that overcoming adversity is part of the winning process. The former USC Trojans star is at the center of one of the most bizarre storylines of the U.S. Women’s Open, yet she is making the most of her time at Erin Hills.
In an incredible turn of events, Avery could not use her set of clubs for the second round of the US Women’s Open. She had to play Friday with the clubs of her former Trojans teammate, Gaby Ruffels, who even loaned her a cap.
Journalist Paige Mackenzie reported on the event firsthand during the Golf Channel broadcast:
“Amari Avery had a really unfortunate and scary situation overnight where someone was trying to break into her rental home,” Mackenzie reported. “So they had to pack up all their stuff quickly in the middle of the night and go to a hotel.”
“She put all her stuff in her travel bag. She and her boyfriend [current USC golfer Gavin Aurilia] have the same travel bag and he took hers by mistake this morning and flew back to LA. So today she’s using Gabby Ruffles’ entire set after Gabby played her round this morning. She didn’t even have a hat.”
An unfortunate situation led to Amari Avery having to play her second round at the U.S. Women’s Open with Gabriella Ruffels’ set of clubs. pic.twitter.com/0dslw5H1UB
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) May 30, 2025
According to Mackenzie’s report, Aurilia’s mother is flying to Wisconsin on Saturday to deliver Avery’s golf clubs, hopefully before her third round at Erin Hills begins.
However, Avery was one of the players unable to finish the second round due to darkness with two holes to play. She resumed play on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time, dropping a shot over her final two holes.
Avery probably wasn’t thrilled about having to play with borrowed clubs, but the truth is that the Ruffels set has served her well. During the second round, she had two birdies and two bogeys on the first 16 holes, giving her an even-par score for the round and a 1-under score for the tournament.
Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
Unfortunately, her third round is not off to the start she was hoping for. Avery is 2-over through four holes, leaving her at 2-over for the tournament. It is unknown whether she is playing her own set of clubs or not. If so, she might want to ask Ruffels for hers back.
Nevertheless, what she accomplished on Friday is no small feat, as it is her debut in major championships. This result would be doubly significant for her, as not only would she achieve an important milestone by making the cut at the highest level, but she also would do so while overcoming the enormous difficulty of playing with borrowed clubs.
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