By Todd Dobson
The list below features the five candidates for the 2025 One Putt Player of the Year award which is given to the previous years most valuable player. While the players are listed in order of points earned throughout the 2025 season, this award ultimately comes down to full body of work, not just the standings.
Each candidate competed with a partner, but these selections reflect the individuals who delivered the biggest, most memorable moments when it mattered most. Think winning putts, hole-in-ones, clutch shots, and the kind of plays that define a season.
One wouldn’t have expected Ryan Ruffels to appear on this list given how his season began. Sidelined at the Grass Clippings Open due to a lingering wrist issue, Ruffels was stuck in the frustrating gray area of injury timelines. There was no clear return date, no guarantees, and very little certainty for the LA Roses.
But as the wrist healed, so did the Roses’ outlook.
Ruffels made his long-awaited season debut at the Summer Grind alongside playing partner Marty Sanchez, and he looked like he hadn’t missed a beat. The duo finished T13, narrowly missing out on a Top 10 finish. Still, the bigger takeaway was obvious: Ruffels was back.
Goat Hill GL Match Roses vs. Auto Aces
When he returned to the Home of the Grass League for the GL Championship, something had clearly shifted. Not only was he paired with his sister, Gabi Ruffels, but he carried a palpable confidence around the property.
As we now know, the Ruffels siblings went on to win, claiming the first title in LA Roses history. But what fans will remember most is how they won. They posted a new league single-round record at -13, blistered the front nine at -8 in that same round, and assembled a video game like highlight reel.
*Most memorable the near ace on #17.
*Back to back Putts on #15
Ruffels is as deserving of the Player of the Year award as anyone on this list. The only blemish on his résumé is simple: he missed the opening event with injury. If he had been healthy from the start, this debate might not even exist..
Inside Look at the Ruffels Final Round
Kurt Watkins entered the 2025 season on the New York Blue Birds roster, but he was on nobody’s radar. His best finish in 2024 was T20, solid but far from headline-worthy. By the end of 2025, that changed completely. This season will officially go down as Kurt Watkins’ breakout year.
Watkins and playing partner Jake Byrum delivered one of the most impressive stretches of golf we have seen all season to close out their final round at the Grass Clippings Open. Over a four-hole span that felt like a highlight reel, the pair produced a near ace, four straight birdies, and one of the most ridiculous putts in Grass League history.
The win at the Grass Clippings Open marked the first title in New York Blue Birds history, but more importantly, it was Watkins’ stamp on the league. The duo followed that performance with another near-win at the Summer Grind, finishing T4, and of course, they ended the final round with yet another dramatic Watkins putt. The main takeaway from Oceanside was clear: Kurt Watkins’ putting ability was not a fluke.
Watkins and Byrum turned in their worst performance of the year at the GL Championship, finishing just outside the top 10 at T12. That result is honestly a compliment, and a clear indication of how strong their season really was.
Kurt Watkins has officially established his place in the Grass League, and based on his full body of work, he could easily take home this award.
TTalk about an entrance into a new sports league. The 2025 Grass Clippings Open marked Lucas’ first Grass League appearance after being recruited by his friend, and Munis owner, Wyndham Clark. From the start, it was clear Lucas and playing partner Matt Ryan were not just visiting the league, they were here to stay. The duo finished T8 in their debut, placing inside the Top 10 in their very first event.
They later traveled out early to compete in a GL Match against Phoenix United, earning a comfortable two-shot victory. The only real hiccup of their season came in Round 1 of the Summer Grind, where they posted a modest -3. But the pair quickly responded with a -10 the next round, salvaging the week and finishing inside the Top 20.
When they returned to Grass Clippings Rolling Hills for the GL Championship, the duo looked motivated, and maybe even a little pissed off after Oceanside. That edge showed immediately in Round 1, where they fired the low round of the day at -12, heading into the season’s final round with the outright lead.
If it weren’t for the historic performance by the Ruffels pairing, Lucas and Ryan would likely have found themselves in the winner’s circle. Even though Lucas missed a putt on the final hole to force a playoff, he was unconscious with the flatstick all weekend. It would be a shock if this duo doesn’t find themselves hoisting a trophy in 2026.
Ricky Romano is easily one of the most well-liked players in the league, respected by fans and players alike. Many know him for caddying on Tour for Rickie Fowler, but Romano is just as talented as a player as he is a looper. The real value in rostering Romano is simple: you get the golfer, and you essentially get a caddie for his partner at the same time.
His impact was felt all season.
Paired with Hayden Wood, Romano helped bring out some of Wood’s best golf in years, all while playing at a high level himself. The duo finished T2 at the Grass Clippings Open after firing a final-round -11, then backed it up with a T4 finish at the Summer Grind, proving their early success was no fluke.
Ricky Romano a Grass League Fan Favorite
Heading into the GL Championship, Romano and Wood were one of the clear favorites to win. That changed quickly when Wood had to withdraw after reaching Second Stage of Q-School. Romano was forced to compete with a new partner, and the momentum understandably stalled, resulting in a T28 finish.
Still, the bigger picture remained strong. The Munis held on to win the Season Long Points race, and Ricky Romano has firmly established himself as a core piece of the franchise moving forward
Ryder Epson had one of the most interesting seasons in recent memory. He opened the year at the Grass Clippings Open alongside playing partner Michael Block, but the tournament quickly took an unexpected turn. Block was forced to withdraw after Round 1 due to family circumstances, leaving Epson to finish the event on his own. The result was a tough solo finish in 62nd, but the story was far from over.
From that point on, you could argue Ryder and his brother, Hunter Epson, played some of the best golf of the entire season. The brothers finished T2 at the Summer Grind, punctuated by a final-round -12, which at the time set a new league record.
Determined to prove it wasn’t a fluke, the Epsons returned to Tempe with high expectations, and they delivered. The brothers once again finished inside the Top 10, placing T5, and they stood out as the lone bright spot for the Dallas Horsemen.
It’s clear Ryder Epson has become the face of the Horsemen franchise, and Dallas will need his best to right the ship heading into 2026.
