AWESOME Azahara

23 Oct

Stunning victory in first pro event – and second!

azahara 2

(Photo: Fernando Herranz)

GENERALLY CONSIDERED to be the best women’s golfer in the history of Spanish golf, 22-year-old Málaga golfer Azahara Muñoz was preparing to compete in the Ladies European Tour qualifying school late in 2009 after turning pro in September.

Then all of a sudden the individual (2008) and team (2009) winner of the US NCAA title (National Collegiate Athletic Association), 2009 British Ladies Amateur champion and runner-up in the 2008 US Women’s Amateur stunningly earned an exemption to compete on the LET. Competing in her first event as a professional, Muñoz carded an eagle on the first extra hole of sudden death against Swede Anna Nordqvist to win the Madrid Ladies Masters at Retamares Golf Club. In a gripping final day’s play, Nordqvist had closed with a 10-under 63 and Muñoz a 64 – both finishing level on 16-under.

Three weeks later, she won her second event as a pro, the seventh leg of the national women’s Banesto Tour, at Sant Cugat Golf Club; and in her third, lost a play-off to Tania Elósegui in the final event of the 2009 Banesto Tour.

To cap a sensational year, she then travelled to the US where she secured fifth place at the LPGA Tour qualifying school. Also gaining a place on next year’s tour was Elósegui, who finished 17th of the top 20 winning their cards for 2010.

UNMASKED!

The Oz Questionnaire

azahara 1

(Photo: Fernando Herranz)

■ What was your favourite subject in school?

Maths

■ What person, still alive, do you admire most?

Rafael Nadal

■ What’s your idea of perfect happiness?

Being with my family and friends.

■ What element of modern life gives you the most problems?

Technology – I struggle with it.

■ What’s the worst thing about being a woman?

I don’t know – I’m happy being a woman.

■ What word or phrase do you use most?

Really, I swear (En serio, te lo juro)

■ What scares you most?

Disappointing those who care about me.

azahara 3

(Photo: Fernando Herranz)

■ What book would you always have in your library?

World Without End, by Ken Follett

■ What’s the last film you saw at the cinema?

The Blind Side

■ What’s the last CD you bought?

El Canto del Loco (Spanish rock band)

■ What’s the first thing you think of when you wake up in the morning?

I don’t want to get up!

■ And the last thing you think about when you go to sleep at night?

I don’t know really; I always tend to think about what I’ve done during that day.

■ What section of the paper do you read first each day?

Sport

■ How much time are you connected to the internet each day?

30 minutes

■ What’s one thing you don’t leave home without?

Mobile phone

■ What alternative profession would you like to have taken up?

Tennis player

■ If you could travel in time, what era would you choose?

I think we live in the best era – I wouldn’t change it.

■ What’s the most exotic place you’ve visited?

I haven’t visited any exotic place… I love South Africa.

■ What is your idea of heaven?

To be with the people I care about forever.

■ What is your worst nightmare?

To die.

azahara 4

(Photo: David Martín)

■ FAVOURITE…

Number?    7

Colour?   Blue

Animal?   Dog

Flower?   Orchid

Sport?    Tennis

Meal?   Noodle soup

Hobby/pastime?   Being with my friends.

Luxury?   I love good handbags, but I actually don’t have many!

■ Star sign

Scorpio – 19 November 1987

■ Your favourite joke?

I never remember any jokes!

Trackbacks and Pingbacks

  1. Chip Shots - 21 October 2012

    […] Candie Kung in the final of the Sybase Match Play Championship in New Jersey. Muñoz, who won the 2009 Madrid Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour in her first start as a pro and was the 2010 LPGA Rookie of the Year, […]

Leave a Reply