. The golfer from Malaga has confirmed her participation in this important tournament, part of the European Tour.

. Azahara Muñoz became the first Spanish golfer to win the Spanish Women's Open in 2016.

Azahara Muñoz, one of the leading figures in Spanish women's golf, will grace the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino with her presence. This competition, part of the Ladies European Tour, will take place between September 21 and 24 at the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina (Málaga) with the main sponsorship of Turismo de Andalucía, Turismo Costa del Sol and Mancomunidad de Municipios de la Costa del Sol Occidental.

The golfer from Malaga, considered by her own merits as one of the best players in the world – currently ranked 77th in the World Ranking – is the center of priority attention for a double reason: her status as a local player – she trained in golf at the RCG Guadalmina school – and as the first Spanish player in history to win the Spanish Women's Open, an objective achieved twelve months ago through a simply exceptional performance.

Historical references for Spanish golf

Azahara Muñoz is part of the history of Spanish golf by winning the Spanish Women's Open title in 2016, a feat that had been elusive for a player from our country until then, thanks to a heroic performance in which she beat the American Beth Allen in a final day to remember.

The golfer from Malaga, tremendously excited after achieving the feat, with hundreds of feelings on the surface related to her family, effort and perseverance, had already inscribed her name in the history of Spanish golf by becoming the first woman to hit the ball in an Olympic Games, specifically in Rio de Janeiro 2016, a historic milestone that she reinforced just a month later with a triumph as awaited as it was desired for many, many years.

Azahara Muñoz's tips for playing well in Guadalmina

A member of the prolific Guadalmina golf school during her childhood, Azahara Muñoz knows every nook and cranny of the venue for the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino (Women's Spanish Open) like the back of her hand, as she recently revealed in the publication Andalucía Golf: “To play well at Guadalmina, you have to be precise off the tee, but especially with your irons. The greens are quite undulating and have slopes, so being on the right side of the green is fundamental. Of the course, I would highlight the 11th hole – the 10th during the tournament – a spectacular par 3 on the beach. Beautiful, although there are many others. The 4th is a very good hole. Long and complicated. The 8th is the same. The course is very good, and you have to play very well. That's why you have to be patient. You can make birdies, but the course will also catch you off guard as soon as you lose focus. You have to be very concentrated at all times.”.

An impressive sporting career

Azahara Muñoz, who once built an impressive amateur record, including titles in the Spanish Championships for Children, Under-18s, Juniors and Absolute, apart from international triumphs of the enormous magnitude of the British Girls, British Ladies Amateur or the Final of the United States University League - as well as gold medals with the Spanish team in European Championships of various categories or the Mediterranean Games -, entered professionalism in June 2009 to weave since then an equally spectacular career.

Not surprisingly, the Malaga native, in her first tournament on the Ladies European Tour, the Madrid Ladies Masters 2009, won brilliantly after maintaining an exciting battle with another of the great realities of current women's golf, the Swede Anna Nordqvist.

Obtaining her American Tour card a few months later allowed Azahara Muñoz to combine both competitions with evident success, accumulating excellent results year after year, with special mention for her decisive contribution to the European team's victories in the 2011 and 2013 Solheim Cups, a double title in the most important team tournament in the world that few players at her age, 28, can boast of.

As if that weren't enough, her sporting record boasts three titles on the Ladies European Tour – the French Open in 2013 and 2014 and the Spanish Open in 2016 – and two titles on the PGA Tour, one individual – the 2012 Sybase Match Play Championship – and one team title, won in 2014 as part of the Spanish team that won the International Crown. Furthermore, the Malaga native represented Spain at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

A fourth place finish this season at the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open at the end of April – the other European Ladies Tour tournament held in our country this year – and twenty-third place at the Women's British Open at the beginning of August are her most noteworthy results during 2017.

Essential support for a highly important tournament

The support from Turismo de Andalucía, Turismo Costa del Sol and the Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol is part of a sports and tourism promotion effort, aware of the appeal of golf among national and foreign tourists, who find in this sport an additional incentive when choosing this Spanish region as a destination.

This prestigious competition is also supported by Reale Seguros, the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, the Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, RCG Guadalmina, the Spanish National Sports Council, and the Ladies European Tour. It is organized by Deporte & Business.

RELEVANT TOURNAMENT DATA
Real Club de Golf Guadalmina
Opened in 1959
Address: Urbanización Guadalmina Alta s/n. 29678 San Pedro de Alcántara (Málaga)
Telephone: 952 883 375
Fax: 952 883 483
e-mail: secretaria@guadalminagolf.com
web: www.guadalminagolf.com

Nearest airport: Malaga (70 km)
Designer: Javier Arana
Number of holes: 2 courses of 18 and one of 9

Main institutional sponsors: Tourism of Andalusia, Tourism Costa del Sol and Association of Municipalities of the Western Costa del Sol

Tournament sponsors: Royal Spanish Golf Federation, Royal Andalusian Golf Federation, RCG Guadalmina, Marbella and San Pedro de Alcántara City Councils, Higher Sports Council, Ladies European Tour and Universo Mujer.

Collaborating companies: Reale Seguros, Volvo VYPSA, Solán de Cabras, Mahou, Kyocera, Omega, Etihad Airways, Loterías y Apuestas del Estado, Movistar, Riversa, Sevillana de Electricidad and Clínica Quirón.

Promoter: Royal Spanish Golf Federation

Organizers: Ladies European Tour, Royal Spanish Golf Federation and Sport & Business

About the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Andalusian Regional Government

Andalusia is one of the world's most comprehensive tourist destinations, offering a diverse and high-quality range of experiences that places it among the top choices for both international and domestic tourists. Furthermore, Andalusia is an international benchmark for golf tourism. Its exceptional climate allows for year-round play on over a hundred courses, located in prime locations with stunning landscapes or close to idyllic beaches.

About Tourism Costa del Sol

Its nearly 70 courses have made the province of Málaga-Costa del Sol the leading golf destination in Europe, hence its nickname, the Costa del Golf. Few places like the Costa del Sol offer so many attractions in one destination, because our province not only boasts superb infrastructure for playing golf, but also a privileged climate that allows for year-round play.

About RCG Gualdalmina

Considered one of the best courses in Spain, the RCG Guadalmina was originally designed by the renowned Javier Arana and later remodeled by Stirling & Martin. A varied and challenging course, it stands out both for the beauty of its holes and the wide range of shots required to complete them. While the fairways appear wide, there are few water hazards, which only come into play on the 13th hole. However, the height and density of the trees are a significant factor and can be intimidating from the tee boxes. Additionally, the par 3s are tricky, especially when one of the area's prevailing winds picks up.