The newly appointed vice-captain of the 2017 European Solheim Cup team, Marta Figueras-Dotti, and golfer Azahara Muñoz visited the press room at Aloha Golf Club following Muñoz's debut at the Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino. Both discussed various aspects of the season with the accredited media.

MARTA FIGUERAS-DOTTI

Solheim Cup Vice-Captaincy

“I’m incredibly excited to be part of the team. It’s unexpected and above all amazing that the best player of all time, Annika Sorenstam, wants me to be her right-hand woman.”.

It will be a wonderful week, I hope there will be some Spanish women there. My sincerest thanks to Annika for thinking of me, I'm very excited.

I took Azahara Muñoz to the first Junior Solheim Cup, and I'd love to have her with us again. I hope Carlota Ciganda will be there, of course. Now, some players who could have a chance have started their professional careers; Nuria Iturrios's name is being mentioned. I know she won't be going to the US school so she can finish the year in Europe. María Parra, who has great potential, is also starting her career. I'd love for them to be with us that week in Iowa.”.

Her relationship with Azahara Muñoz

“I’ve known her since she was 12 years old; she’s a complete player, very experienced. I was lucky enough to be in Rio de Janeiro with her in an unforgettable experience for both of us. She thrilled me on that course until the very last day; I suspect she’ll be more comfortable playing at home this week.”.

Spanish Women's Open

“For the players and for the circuit it is essential to have a strong Open in Spain, so I hope that we will have this tournament with us for many years to come.”.

AZAHARA MUÑOZ

Analysis of the day

“"It's been a strange day because I played well with my irons and missed a lot of birdie opportunities. I made some good putts, but then I missed a lot with my putting and driving. On the 8th, I made three putts of five feet. It's clear I had problems with the breaks and that I need to work on my driving, since my teeing wasn't great. I missed a lot of drives at the beginning, although I improved a bit towards the end.".

I haven't started as strongly as I wanted, but par isn't bad. I'm right there, about four strokes off the lead. I always go all out, and even more so in this tournament with all the top players in Europe. In fact, I had a fantastic match with two really good players, Camilla (Lennarth) and Emily (Pedersen). With golfers like these, it's clear we're going to see some good results.

I don't know what the score will be, but it's a short course where you have to play conservatively. You always have to stay under the pin, looking for uphill putts.

I'm feeling great with my irons, but I'm not playing as well with my woods and drivers. I'm having a strange time with my driver.

Playing at home

“It’s a joy to be home. It can be added pressure, but it all depends on how you take things. Yesterday I was overwhelmed because I know that the people who are coming to see me expect me to play well, and that can hurt, but I want to take it in stride.”.

Olympics

“It was a spectacular experience. Ever since it was announced that golf would be an Olympic sport, Carlota (Ciganda) and I wanted to go together. We've been through so much together! Marta was never our captain in a tournament like the Solheim, but she was a coach or assistant.”.

And we were lucky enough to go to Rio, the three of us together. It's true that the Olympic Village was dirty, the bed was hard, the food was very bad… but the experience is simply incredible.

In Rio I played very well except for the last day. I took too many risks at times because I saw my medal chances slipping away and I had no other choice. I competed well on a difficult course, especially when the wind was blowing.

I'm very proud of my game in a competition where there's a lot of pressure. People don't realize how stressful everything is at the Games, and the pressure doesn't disappear on the first tee, like in other tournaments. It's an event that only comes around every four years, and you never know if you'll have another chance to play.

Season Analysis

“Overall, I haven’t been playing very well this year; my performance has been inconsistent at times. At the Games, Marta and Imanol Ibarrondo (Editor's note: COE coach) were a great help, making me realize that I need to be patient and let my game and the results come naturally. I need to improve on that.‘.

Noemí Jiménez
“We’re from the same club and I’ve known her my whole life, that’s why she’s my favorite. I’ve known her forever, and she’s always looked up to me: she came to my university at Arizona State, to the Blume Residence Hall… She’s a very good player and always has a cheerful and positive attitude. I hope she does very well.”.