Olympic golf and Solheim Cup star Azahara Muñoz has confirmed her participation in her home tournament, the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino, which will take place on her own doorstep at Aloha Golf (Málaga) from 22-25 September.
The Malaga golfer, currently ranked 48 in the World Ranking, will spearhead the Spanish challenge in the race to become the first home winner of the prestigious championship as part of the field of 126 international players who will showcase their impressive skills and talents magnificent Costa del Sol – also known as the Costa del Golf.
Muñoz built an impressive CV during her amateur days, winning the Spanish Championships in every category as well as the British Girls, British Ladies Amateur and Final of the NCAA Championships and collected gold medals with the Spanish team in the European Championships in various categories and the Mediterranean Games.
She made a spectacular professional debut in June 2009 when she won the Madrid Ladies Masters on the Ladies European Tour. Her career has gone from strength to strength with two victories as part of The European Solheim Cup team in 2011 and 2013 as well as two individual LET titles at the 2013 and 2014 Lacoste Ladies Open de France.
On the LPGA, she won a further individual victory in the 2012 Sybase Match play Championship and the 2014 International Crown as part of the Spanish team. After recovering from hand surgery, her 2016 season so far has included three top 10 finishes with T6th at the LPGA Volvik Championship, 8th at the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give and T9th at the Marathon Classic presented by Owens Corning and O-I, as well as a tie for 21st in the recent Olympic golf competition in Rio.
Aloha Golf Club is hosting a female Spanish Open for the first time but this will be the third Open de España Femenino played on the Costa del Sol after the 2010 championship at Flamingos, won by Laura Davies and the 2011 event at La Quinta, won by Melissa Reid. The most recent edition of the event, in 2014, was played at Golf Costa Adeje in Tenerife and won by Connie Chen. As well as Davies (who also won in 1986 at La Manga), Reid and Chen, former winners in the field include Stacey Keating (Golf Las Americas in 2012) and Becky Brewerton (Panoramica in 2009).
