Azahara Muñoz, indispensable reference of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino to be held at Aloha Golf between November 28 and December 1, arrives to her homeland with very clear ideas: “I’m not obsessed, being a reference is a great pressure, but winning again the Open de España would be a wonderful dream”.
The golfer from Malaga goes to ‘her’ Open de España, which she has polished with two victories in the 2016 and 2017 editions and a second place in 2018, with full confidence in her possibilities, leading a thriving team of fourteen Spanish golfers who will find fierce opposition from the best of professional golf.
“I’m really looking forward to the tournament because I’ve always loved playing at home. I arrive with great expectations and hopefully on Sunday I will have done enough to win it,” admits Azahara Muñoz serenely. Azahara Muñoz calmly acknowledges, aware that almost all eyes are focused on her in the hope that she will further increase her brilliant relationship with the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España.
“I am confident in what I am doing. The best thing about the season that is now coming to an end has been the attitude, much calmer in the face of adversity, more forgiving with myself when the turns don’t go well. That’s the path, and it’s the one I’m going to take next year, in principle without significant technical changes, just training and training, working and working,” says Azahara Muñoz before recalling that 2016 edition, also at Aloha Golf, where she became the first Spaniard to inscribe her name on the select list of winners of the Women’s Spanish Open.
“Three years ago I came here in what at the time was my worst season. I was off-center, hitting the ball badly and not finding solutions. On Thursday of that tournament my sister had a conversation with me that changed everything, that lowered my tensions. Now I am much calmer, aware of what I have to do. I know which is the way”, says the golfer from Malaga, who, to put a but to her career in 2019, would have liked to achieve better results in the ‘Big’ tournaments of the year.
And then there is the course, Aloha Golf, the silent enemy that awaits all the participants, “a course I know well, and that is an advantage. You have to be very precise, place the ball in the right place, especially on the greens, which have a huge movement. That may be the key to the tournament, kicking well but because you have taken the ball to the place where the difficulties are less”, explains Azahara Muñoz.
The Spanish golfer is also aware that the road to victory will be full of thorns. “The competition is enormous, there are players of an enormous level, several from the LPGA, and then there is Anne Van Dam, the defending champion, who is also coming for everything…”, she said before going over other hot topics.
The Solheim Cup – “it would be incredible if it ends up being played in Malaga, in my land. It’s a unique tournament”-; the agreement established to join forces between the LPGA and LET Tours –“It can’t be more positive. The LPGA is clear that it will only grow if the other Tours do, and the work that is being done, with Marta Figueras-Dotti at the head, is incredible”-; the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – “Rio was a spectacular experience, representing Spain is always an honor, much more in a Games, so I hope to be there and play my best in a discipline where anyone can win”-…. just before getting very emotional, with tears in her eyes, – “it is an honor to be recognized, this town has always been very good to me”- when she was asked about her feelings after being named Adopted Daughter by the City Council of Marbella.
AROUND THE GREEN
Great star match to open the mouth
The Dutch Anne Van Dam, defending champion; the Spanish Azahara Muñoz, second last year; and the American Christina Kim, permanent show, are the star match of the first day of the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino. All of them are scheduled to tee off on the 10th hole at 8:35 a.m., undoubtedly a great star match to open the mouth.
The solidarity side of the tournament in favor of the Spanish Association Against Cancer.
On the day before the start of the tournament, one of the most anticipated events took place on the terrace of the Aloha Golf Club, the longest and most accurate drive contest for the benefit of the Spanish Association Against Cancer. Some of the most powerful professionals, such as the Dutch Anne Van Dam, who averages 275 yards on the circuit, dared to put their stamp on this great initiative and on this occasion sent the ball to 238 meters. To try to beat them, the most daring amateurs, prior donation, had the chance to beat the pro by distance or accuracy. One of them, Javier Gervás, managed it with a 247-meter strike.
Suzzan Pettersen, a luxury guest at Aloha Golf
Suzzan Pettersen, a golfer of great prestige who recently retired after culminating her brilliant sporting career with a glorious putt on the 18th hole of the last match that clinched the victory of the European team in the last Solheim Cup held in Scotland, shared the stage with Azahara Muñoz during the press conference prior to the start of the tournament.
The Norwegian golfer reviewed that unique moment recorded for posterity – “it all happened very quickly, so much so that at that moment I was not aware of the feat, which was only possible thanks to the fact that my teammates who preceded me also won their matches” – and explained her aspirations from now on, which are focused on her family and contributing her knowledge with the youth of her country “since golf has been, is and will be a very important part of my life”.
LPGA and LET join forces to boost the growth of women’s professional golf in Europe
The Ladies European Tour (LET) and LPGA, two of the world’s leading women’s professional tours, have reached an agreement to create a long-term partnership to promote women’s golf in Europe. This alliance is intended to enhance the support of sponsors and, in this way, increase the growth opportunities for women golfers on the Old Continent.
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