Azahara_Munoz

Azahara Muñoz

Azahara Muñoz

Spanish professional golfer

Azahara Muñoz Guijarro (born 19 November 1987) is a Spanish professional golfer on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour.

Quick Facts Personal information, Full name ...
In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Muñoz and the second or maternal family name is Guijarro.

Amateur career

Muñoz was born in Málaga, Andalusia in southern Spain and had a successful amateur career in both Europe and the United States. She won the 2002 Spanish Amateur title at age 14, the 2004 Girls Amateur Championship, and was the 2009 British Ladies Amateur champion. Additionally, she was runner-up to Amanda Blumenherst at the 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur in Eugene, Oregon, and was a member of Europe's Junior Solheim Cup Team in 2002, 2003, and 2005.

At Arizona State, she was the 2008 NCAA Individual Champion in her junior year, winning by making a 25-foot (8 m) putt at the first hole of a playoff against UCLA's Tiffany Joh in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Surgery on her right wrist in January 2009 sidelined her for over a month during her senior year. In May, Muñoz finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in Maryland to lead the Sun Devils to the 2009 NCAA team title. She was the Edith Cummings Munson Award recipient in 2008 & 2009, the only double winner of the award. Muñoz was also 2006–08 NGCA Academic All-American, 2006–09 First-Team All-Pac-10, 2006–07 NGCA Second-Team All-American, 2009 NGCA All-American and 2009 Pac-10 Scholar of the Year.[1] She graduated magna cum laude from ASU in May 2009 with a bachelor's degree in psychology and a minor in business.

In a final summer of amateur play, Muñoz won the match-play British Ladies Amateur in Wales over ASU teammate and compatriot Carlota Ciganda, then won gold medals (individual & team) for Spain at the 2009 Mediterranean Games in Italy. Although the runner-up in 2008, she opted not to participate in the 2009 U.S. Women's Amateur. She played in three professional majors as an amateur in 2009 and placed T-40 twice.

Professional career

2009

Muñoz turned professional in September 2009, two weeks prior to the first stage of the LPGA Tour Qualifying Tournament in California, in which she finished second and advanced to the final stage in December.

Back in Spain, she received a sponsor's exemption into the 2009 Madrid Ladies Masters, and made her professional debut on 1 October on the Ladies European Tour (LET). After shooting a 64 (−9) in the final round, she won the three-round event on the first playoff hole, defeating former ASU teammate Anna Nordqvist with an eagle putt; Muñoz earned €50,000 and a three-year LET exemption.[2]

Following a rain-shortened one-round victory in Barcelona for €5,000 on the Banesto mini-tour in late October,[3] Muñoz finished fifth at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament in December in Florida to earn full playing privileges on the LPGA Tour for 2010.[4] She ended the year ranked 179th in the Women's World Golf Rankings.[5]

2010

In her rookie season of 2010, Muñoz made the cut in her first eleven events, and won over $402,000 in LPGA competition with two top ten finishes. She made the top twenty in the three majors she played, was 30th on the money list, and 17th in scoring.[6] Muñoz handily won the competition for LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year with 704 points; the runner-up was compatriot Beatriz Recari with 419.[7][8]

She won an additional €26,380 in five events on the Ladies European Tour (total 2010 LET earnings were €96,633 in seven events, with €70,253 from the two events co-sanctioned by the LPGA).[9] Muñoz ended the year at 41st in the world rankings.[10]

2012

Muñoz notched her first LPGA Tour victory at the Sybase Match Play Championship in Gladstone, New Jersey with a 2 and 1 victory over Candie Kung. In the semifinal round of match play against Morgan Pressel, Muñoz trailed by two through 11 holes. Pressel appeared to have won the 12th hole, which would have given her a three-hole lead over Muñoz, but a slow-play penalty was ruled against Pressel. Muñoz ended up winning the semifinal match against Pressel, 2 and 1.[11] The victory in May vaulted Muñoz from 27th to 19th in the world rankings[12] and from tenth to second on the 2012 money list.

Professional wins (6)

LPGA Tour (1)

More information No., Date ...

LPGA Tour playoff record (0–2)

More information No., Year ...

Ladies European Tour (5)

More information No., Date ...

1 Muñoz sank an eagle putt on the first playoff hole to win.

Results in LPGA majors

Results not in chronological order.

More information Tournament ...

^ The Evian Championship was added as a major in 2013

  Top 10
  Did not play

CUT = missed the half-way cut
NT = no tournament
T = tied

Summary

More information Tournament, Wins ...
  • Most consecutive cuts made – 9 (2013 Evian – 2015 British Open)
  • Longest streak of top-10s – 1 (three times)

LPGA Tour career summary

More information Year, Tournaments played ...
  • official through 2023 season[13]

* Includes matchplay and other events without a cut.

World ranking

Position in Women's World Golf Rankings at the end of each calendar year.

More information Year, World ranking ...

Team appearances

Amateur

Professional

Solheim Cup record

More information Year, Total matches ...

References

  1. [1]
    "Azahara Munoz Profile". Arizona State University. Archived from the original on 8 December 2009. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  2. [2]
    "Muñoz beats Nordqvist in Playoff on Professional Debut". Ladies European Tour. Archived from the original on 24 November 2010. Retrieved 6 October 2009.
  3. [3]
    "Barcelona leaderboard". Banesto Golf Tour. Archived from the original on 31 August 2011. Retrieved 12 June 2011.
  4. [4]
    "2009 Final Qualifying Tournament – results" (PDF). LPGA. 6 December 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 13 July 2011.
  5. [5]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". Rolex Rankings. 29 December 2009. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  6. [6]
    "2010 Player Performance Record". LPGA. Retrieved 31 July 2011.
  7. [7]
    "Munoz Clinches Louise Suggs Rookie of the Year Race". LPGA. 8 November 2010. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  8. [8]
    "Stats: Louise Suggs Rolex Rookie of the Year: 2010". LPGA. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  9. [9]
    "Azahara Muñoz – 2010 season results". Ladies European Tour.
  10. [10]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". Rolex Rankings. 28 December 2010. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
  11. [11]
    "Azahara Muñoz wins match play". ESPN. Associated Press. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  12. [12]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". Rolex Rankings. 21 May 2012. Retrieved 11 June 2012.
  13. [13]
    "Azahara Munoz – Results". LPGA. Retrieved 18 December 2023.
  14. [14]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 27 December 2011.
  15. [15]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 31 December 2012.
  16. [16]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 30 December 2013.
  17. [17]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 29 December 2014.
  18. [18]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 28 December 2015.
  19. [19]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 26 December 2016.
  20. [20]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 25 December 2017.
  21. [21]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 31 December 2018.
  22. [22]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 30 December 2019.
  23. [23]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 28 December 2020.
  24. [24]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 27 December 2021.
  25. [25]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 26 December 2022.
  26. [26]
    "Women's World Golf Rankings". 25 December 2023.
  27. [27]
    "European Girls' Team Championship – European Golf Association". Retrieved 18 December 2017.
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