Ryan Ruffels’ path towards a Korn Ferry Tour card in 2020 is taking two very different routes after he logged his second top-five finish in just three starts on Canada’s Mackenzie Tour.

Tied for second heading into the final round of the 1932byBateman Open in Alberta, Ruffels moved to within one of the lead early in the back nine but he was perhaps guilty of pushing too hard as three bogeys blotted his run home.

Canadian Taylor Pendrith finished three shots clear at the top of the leaderboard with Ruffels four shots back in a tie for third.

The result moves the 21-year-old to 15th on the Mackenzie Tour Order of Merit from just three starts and with an interesting decision to make with regards to his schedule for the rest of 2019.

Top five on both the Mackenzie Tour and Latino-America Tour moneylists at the end of the season earn elevation to the Korn Ferry Tour next year and both avenues are now open to the Victorian.

Currently sitting fifth on the Latino-America Order of Merit, Ruffels can play the remaining four events in Canada before the Latino-America schedule recommences on September 19 and how he fares over the next month will likely dictate where he channels his energies for the back-end of the year.