(5 October 2009 – Madrid, Spain)
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Spain&aposs newest golfing sensation, Azahara Munoz lived up to her billing by winning the Madrid Ladies Masters on her professional debut. She turned professional just two weeks ago after finishing second at the first stage of LPGA Qualifying School. Her victory was earned after a final round of 9-under par 64 left her tied on 16-under par with Sweden’s own superstar, McDonald’s LPGA Champion, Anna Nordqvist. Muñoz then went on to win the playoff with an eagle on the first hole. Another Spaniard, Emma Cabrera-Bello tied with Frenchwoman Anne-Lise Caudal in 3rd, two shots behind Muñoz.
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rnItaly’s Veronica Zorzi started the final day at 13-under par, a two-shot cushion over Bello with Muñoz and Caudal back in a tie for 5th at 7-under par and Nordqvist one shot further back in a tie for 8th. After nine holes, the leaderboard had gotten considerably tighter, Bello holding a two-shot lead at 14-under over Zorzi on 12-under. Nordqvist had reeled off four birdies to get it to 11-under, tied for 3rd with Caudal, with Muñoz was just one behind them.
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rnIt was at this point that Muñoz made a bid for the lead with an eagle on the par-5 10th, followed by another birdie at the 11th to get to 13-under, with Nordqvist and Caudal doing the same with birdies at the same holes. Nordqvist continued her spectacular play, notching her 8th and 9th birdies of the day on the 13th and 14th holes to hit the lead. However, she could only manage one more birdie, on the 18th to reach the clubhouse at 16-under par.
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rnZorzi and Caudal were the first to falter, both making a bogey at the 12th hole to fall behind the leaders. Both made crucial errors on the inward nine adding bogeys at the 16th and 17th respectively to fade from contention, Zorzi eventually firing a final round of 1-over to finish 8th. Cabrera-Bello was the next to falter. After reaching 15-under with a birdie on the 13th, she bogeyed the 14th and 16th, adding a birdie at the 18th to finish tied for Caudal in third.
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rnIt was left to Muñoz to take up the challenge, and she showed her mettle with three birdies in the final four holes to reach the 16-under mark set by Nordqvist. The former Arizona State University teammates then went back to the 470 yard par-5 18th to square and decide the recipient of the €50,000.00 winner’s cheque. Muñoz came out on top after she knocked her six-iron to 20 feet and rolling in the eagle putt. Nordqvist had hit her approach long and couldn’t manage to hole her chip shot.
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rnMuñoz, who recently won the Ladies British Amateur Championship, said, “I can’t believe I won. It’s like a dream come true. This is just the beginning. I’m going to keep on practising and trying to get better.” And thus it seems a star is born. Muñoz, who also finished runner-up at the 2008 US Women’s Amateur, had a stellar college career that included All-American status and 2008 NCAA Individual Champion, at the same time as completing a degree in Psychology, graduating summa cum laude with a 3.98 GPA.
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rnThere were only two Australians in the elite field of 42, with Karen Lunn finishing in a tie for 23rd after a final round of 3-under par 70 saw her finish at 3-under par total 216. Frances Bondad finished a further shot behind Lunn in a tie for 28th.
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rnThe LET has this week off before resuming at the €200,000 Carta Sì Ladies Italian Open in Milan on 15 October.
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Photo by Paul Melville – Azahara Muñoz