The son of Australian tennis great Ray Ruffels has taken out one of world junior golf’s biggest titles.

Following in the footsteps of previous winners Jason Day and Tiger Woods, Victorian-based Ryan Ruffels fired a final round of 69 to clinch the Callaway World Junior Championship’s 15-17 boys’ crown at Torrey Pines in California.

He finished two shots clear of Taiwan’s Chun An Yu.

The victory capped off what’s been a stellar 12 months for the US-born and raised 16-year-old, who won the Australian junior championship in April and the prestigious Riversdale Cup.

The world No.44 amateur caught the attention of many last November with cracking rounds on the opening two days of the Australian Open.

Ruffels carded a five-under-par 67 on the Friday and followed it up with a 68 to make a brief appearance on the leaderboard on debut.

The teenager credited recently-crowned British Open champion Rory McIlroy for helping him believe he belonged alongside the pros, having forged a friendship with the Northern Irishman during a pre-tournament practice round.