Without detracting from any of the components of the powerful team that will fight for the title of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España, it is undeniable that the eyes of the press and the fans are focused on two golfers of different origins but immense talent: Spain’s Azahara Muñoz and Denmark’s Emily Kristine Pedersen. From the 26th to the 29th of November, the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina will act as judge and party in the tournament that puts an end to the Race to Costa del Sol, the order of merit of the circuit, and these two European stars will compete for the trophy of this classic of the international calendar, the sixtieth tournament of the Ladies European Tour to be held in Spain.
The Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España always serves as a balm for Azahara Muñoz, the only Spaniard who has won this competition (in 2016 and 2017) and who also came close to victory in the last two editions. The golfer from San Pedro de Alcántara will feel very close the warmth of her people and the fans, although the current circumstances prevent the very large crowd that usually attends this competition from accompanying the Spaniard.
“Whenever I go back home I love it and, in Guadalmina, obviously even more. It brings back very good memories of when I was little and this is where I grew up. It’s a shame that people can’t be supporting me on the course, but I know they’ll be behind me anyway. As for mine, I hadn’t seen the family since December and when I saw them yesterday, you can imagine how happy I was. This week I’m going to give it my all, but just seeing them makes me very happy”.
Azahara Muñoz arrives at the only Ladies European Tour event to be played in 2020 in our country with the desire to change the trend with the putter that has prevented her from achieving more brilliant results in recent LPGA Tour events.
“It’s been a very strange year, but I feel good. Above all, I’m looking forward to it. This tournament means a lot to me and then comes the U.S. Open and the Tour Championship, so it’s a pretty good end to the season. As I said, I’ve been playing well, but I’ve been quite cold with my putting. Let’s see if Marcelo [Prieto] helps me with that and we work it out.”
The physical remoteness imposed by the pandemic has also complicated training and adjustments, but at the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina the sampedreña has had the opportunity to meet with her trusted technician.
“I haven’t been able to see Marcelo since February and the truth is that it’s complicated. I do send him videos, but it’s not the same as in person and being able to train with him this week is a plus, without a doubt.”
Emily Kristine Pedersen, who has already won four titles this year, three of them in a row in Saudi Arabia (The Saudi Ladies International and both the individual and the collective classification of The Saudi Ladies Team International) leads the Race to Costa del Sol with a remarkable advantage and, on paper, seems the most fearsome rival. It so happens that Muñoz and Pedersen have already met fighting for the title of the Scottish Open, the event with which the Ladies European Tour resumed after the break for the covid, and in which both shared the second place behind the American Stacy Lewis. The Dane is clear that, although a priori the covid interrupted her progression, in the long run it has been good for her game.
“At first it was a disappointment because I was starting to play well and after South Africa I had a solid base, but in hindsight I think it was good to come home and work on a few things, make a few technical adjustments and prepare for the Scottish Open,” recalled Pedersen, who sees the Scottish event as the turning point of the season.
Pedersen has certainly demonstrated his versatility on courses of all types and in a variety of conditions. After shining in the Scottish Open and the British Open in typically Scottish weather, he won in the Czech Republic and then shone in Saudi Arabia. At the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina it seems that there won’t be too much wind and the forecast predicts rain for Thursday, but Pedersen is not imposed by the weather difficulties.
“I’m used to wind and rain. I usually do well when conditions are difficult. I take it one stroke at a time and when the situation gets complicated I don’t usually anticipate events, as I focus on taking every shot forward,” summarized the Dane.
Without a doubt, Pedersen has shown that she is capable of overcoming the difficulties that led her to spend the 2018 season practically blank after a flying start to her career in which she won her first victory and the rookie of the year title in 2015. Five years later, the Dane faces a new stage of her career with renewed energy and the illusion fueled by her recent triumphs, but Azahara Muñoz and the rest of the Spanish Armada (composed of 18 players in total) are more than willing to prevent her from winning the title.
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