The figures are eloquent: among the 18 representatives of Spanish golf who face the challenge of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España from Thursday 26th to Sunday 29th at the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina, 13 of them have achieved a total of 28 international victories in the main professional circuits (Ladies European Tour, LET Access Series, LPGA Tour or Symetra Tour). It is clear that Spanish golfers have not been afraid to travel the world successfully to seek their sporting fortune, and likewise logic dictates that the focus should be on them when they play an international event in their country, as in this case.
Although this time they will not have the warmth of the fans (especially the locals Azahara Muñoz, Noemi Jimenez and Laura Gomez), since the public is not allowed to access the south course of Guadalmina because of the incidence of covid, our players feel the support of all the fans and wanted to stage the union of the group and the gratitude to the fans in a fun picture that brought them all together on the practice green of the Marbella course.
In the seventh time (fifth in a row) in the history of this tournament that the Costa del Sol hosts a Women’s Spanish Open after those played at Flamingos in 2010, La Quinta in 2011 and 2018, Aloha Golf in 2016 and 2019, and Guadalmina in 2017, the eyes are once again on Azahara Muñoz, double winner of the tournament and main national favorite, but there are other candidates to win the thirty-third Spanish victory in the history of the Ladies European Tour and succeed Carlota Ciganda, who just over a year ago beat Esther Henseleit in the last national triumph on the circuit, at the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open in 2019.
For example, Luna Sobrón, recent winner of the LET Access Series and author of two magnificent performances in the Ladies European Tour tournaments held in Saudi Arabia. A sixth and a second place in the last three editions of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, where she has not finished lower than 20th place, are a good letter of introduction for the Balearic player.
“The truth is that I really want to play. On top of that, it is the last tournament of the Tour season, and in the south, in a spectacular place. We are very well, it is very nice to be in Guadalmina and I think there is no better place”, explained Luna Sobrón, who also had time to analyze her game. “The game is going quite well, very solid, without very serious mistakes. And when I miss, I do it in the good area of the hole. I’m quite confident with my putting, and that used to be my weak point. Those putts that didn’t go in before are now going in and giving me those low loops.”
Among the Spaniards present in Guadalmina, Nuria Iturrioz is the one with the best track record in the Ladies European Tour with three victories to her credit. The one from Son Servera made a general review of her feelings and analyzed the course, lengthened about 300 meters with respect to the edition played in 2017 and slowed down by the rains fallen in the last hours.
“The truth is that I’m playing very solid, I feel good. Every course and every week are different and anything can happen, but I bring the desire and obviously it is a very special tournament, and hopefully one day I will win,” explained Iturrioz.
Regarding Guadalmina’s flawless southern course, Iturrioz is up for a challenge and is not afraid of the extra distance.
“It’s true that the course is a little long and, looking at the forecasts, it will get even longer, although I don’t know if there will be changes and the tees will be moved forward. The greens are rolling very well and I’m sure there will be many putts. It will be a matter of leaving yourself plenty of opportunities and finishing them off,” he summarized. “Putting will be the key this week, because I’m taking a lot of greens, I’m leaving myself a lot of good opportunities in past tournaments and it’s true that I’m missing finishing them off. Now I have been two weeks at home and I have been able to adjust two things of chip and putt with Chiqui Palacios, my coach, and let’s see if this week comes out”.
The first of the last four rounds of the 2020 Ladies European Tour season starts on Thursday, and Azahara Muñoz will tee off at 9:10 sharing a match with Swedish star Caroline Hedwall, another European stronghold in the Solheim Cup, and Germany’s Oliva Cowan, while another stellar match is made up of last year’s Order of Merit winner Esther Henseleit of Germany, who will face Race to Costa del Sol leader Emily Kristine Pedersen and Spain’s Nuria Iturrioz.
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