Malaga's star

One of the players that has given lots of talk in the last few months is a 22 year old Spaniard, who's part of Spain's "golden generation" of golfers. Azahara Muñoz Guijaro turned pro in 2009 and is one of the sport's rising stars.

Muñoz won the golf medal in the 2009 Mediterranean Games.

At age 7, Azahara showed great interest in golf and soon gave proof of her talent and passion for the game. Native from a country which characterizes for supporting its athletes, Malaga's girl went to Arizona State, university that she represented in style from 2005 to 2009 and where she majored in Psychology with a minor in Business.

In college, Muñoz took away almost every award including the Edith Cummings Munson (2008 and 2009) for her performance on and off the course; besides, she won the prestigious NCAA Championship in 2008 and was All-American two times (2008 and 2009).

She was a NCAA top player, but it wasn't until 2009 when the world when noticed her after grabbing the Ladies British Amteur Championship title, leaving teammate Carlota Ciganda on the way.

Muñoz' talent took her to the LPGA Q-School; in the first stage she managed to finish second, which put her in the final showdown and gave her a sponsors exemption for the Madrid Ladies Masters of the Ladies European Tour.

No one thought Azahara was going to be solid, since just a couple of weeks earlier she left her amateur career to become a pro golfer. Besides, she had all the pressure on her since the event took place in Spain. With 71, 68 and 64 rounds she managed to tie Anna Nordqvist, her former Arizona State teammate, to force the sudden death.

Muñoz held Nordqvist after reaching the green with her second shot and afterwards sinking a 20 footer eagle putt, which the Swede couldn't top.With this result, Azahara claimed her first professional victory at her debut and grabbed her LET card automatically.

Later she played the final LPGA Q-School tournament, where she  finished fifth, taking a spot as a member of the most competitive women's golf tour.

With four events played so far, Muñoz has one top 10, more than 84 thousand dollars in earnings and is second in the Rookie of the Year race, which shows she has what it takes to become a star, so keep her on sight.

THE NOTE

Azahara was recently acknowledged by Golfweek as one of the top 10 women's players of past 10 years.

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Back to the course

After 2 years away from all LPGA competitions, Swedish Annika Sörenstam will make an appearance during the 2011 Solheim Cup to be held in Ireland. This event is one of the most demanding and traditional on tour, since it confronts North Americans and Europeans in a battle, both inside and outside the ropes, during 3 days.

Sörenstam announced her decision to step away from competitive golf in 2008.

Considered by many as the greatest golfer in history, Sörenstam has been away from competitive golf for two years, but somehow she's managed to keep track on new talents and other affairs related to the sport; all of this has been possible thanks to her course design business, academy and foundation.

Her eagerness to give something back to the discipline that gave her more than 90 wins around the world and the chance to become the first woman to play in a PGA official event, since Babe Zaharias did the same in 1945, took her to accept Alison Nicholas', captain of the 2011 euro squad, invitation to become her assistant at the 12th Solheim.

Annika has lots of experience in this kind of tourney, she played in eight consecutive cups and holds the record as top points earner with 24, after winning 24 matches, losing 11 and halving 4.

Behind the curtains, she was captain of the international team that played the Lexus Cup (2005-2008), which they won two of the four times it was disputed. Besides, Sörenstam received great comments from her teammates that pointed her out as a great leader who was always there to listen and support them no matter what.

It's pretty clear that she'll be there to support her peers, but meanwhile the LPGA will continue without her until further notice, that is if she ever comes back.

In Erica Blasberg's honor

In March 2008 I received a call, it was the Publishing Coordinator of Caras Sports Magazine (previously Caras Golf). To tell the truth I was shocked since it had been almost 6 months from the last time he published me, when I covered the 2007 RICOH Women's British Open.
After exchanging a few words he told me that we might gather with a player named Erica Blasberg and that I was going to interview her a couple of days before the third edition of the MasterCard Classic took place.

So, the LPGA confirmed the date, it would be March 12th at 8 am. at the Fiesta Americana hotel, which hosted the event.
The day was here, Erica came out the elevator with a huge suitcase full with clothes and shoes and was looking for the people she was supposed to meet with; behind her was her dad who caddied for her back in the day.

I remember she asked me how we were going to do it, so I explained it step by step and, while she was in the make up area I interviewed her. Even when I had already spoken to another LPGA player, Lorena Ochoa, it was all improvised; I had never done something like this, so it was my first formal shooting.

Erica told me she lived in Las Vegas, that she loved shows and that she hung out with her friends in the most famous casinos of the Strip; still her priority was her family, even when she was passionate about the game she played.

I must confess that I was very nervous, but EB's great sense of humor and warmness calmed me down. Without noticing we were already talking about music, shows, PGA players and her impressions about Mexico. Between shoots she recommended me a band, The Fray, and asked me to add her as a friend on Facebook.

From time to time I ran into her in some of the LPGA tournaments that took place in Mexico and we used to chitchat. At the 2008 Corona Championship I walked, for the very first and only time, the 18th holes of the daring Tres Marías Course and at the end, she came by and thanked me for the feat; she also said I needed to listen to Jason Mraz, who, by the way, I have already seen live.

A year later, when I gave her some copies of the magazine where her interview appeared, she took one of her mags and signed it for me; with a big smile and a hug she thanked me for working so hard in her feature.

The last time I talked to her was May 1st. 2010, at the Tres Marías Championship; I was getting into the clubhouse, while she was leaving; she turn around, we saw each other and start talking. she said she was great and that the course was in good shape; she even asked for my Publishing Coordinator and then we just said bye.

With only 25 years old, she was one of those players who stop to sign a cap or just to thank her fans. she was, without a doubt, a golfer with lots of potential and only needed a little push to become a LPGA star. I'll always remember those short, but very significant talks we had over the last couple of years, which gave me new musical favorites and the satisfaction to have met a superb human being.

Rest in peace Erica Blasberg.

Thank you, Lorena

She made her last putt as an active LPGA member on Sunday; she scored par in the 18th of the Tres Marías Country Club. She was accompanied by thousands who followed her on the course and from thousands more who believed in her since she took a club for the very first time. With tears, hugs, smiles and cheers everyone said goodbye to the greatest golfer Mexico has had...

During her career, Lorena Ochoa won dozens of awards and recognitions, her accomplishments on the course were always a matter of talk, her compromise with Mexican society was known all through the world. Nevertheless, I won't write about it, today I'll relate what Lorena Ochoa was and will always be to me.

Seven years ago I started following women's golf; I didn't do it for Lore but for other player who I found prominent. To be honest, from 2003 to 2005, I didn't put much attention to her, but in the first tournament I covered -MasterCard Classic 2006- I realized that "Super Ochoa" was something more than just a pro golfer.

Her passion and honesty were overwhelming; I remember being at the press conference and there she was talking to the media after a 2 over par round, when she left the room she was already in tears.

I continued to do my journalistic work and found out that she was a young lady with lots of social responsibility, who wanted to share what she had, not only money-wise but also as a human being.

In 2007 I had the chance to see her win live at St. Andrews, Scotland. It was a Monday when I first hit the course, she was at the putting green and she made this long shot and sank the ball in, I reacted with a "bien Lore" shout; she turned around, left her putter on the grass and came over to say hello.

All week long she couldn't be more professional and classy, she gave me an exclusive interview for my Caras Sports Magazine (Caras Golf Magazine) assignment and even let me hold her trophy.

Time went by and she became a busier player, besieged by the media; sometimes it seemed that she didn't enjoy talking to us and her appearances were shadowed by the tantrums she threw.

Still, she was the same old Lorena with her fans: natural, kind, warm, honest, well, just unique. Kids were crazy about her and it was almost impossible for her to go anywhere unless she signed dozens of autographs; she put her sign on caps, balls, photos, posters and many items more, as she smiled and shyly said "gracias".

Lorena was tireless, she always fought for the first place in the leader board but little by little she started to lose it, which of course she didn't like. 
Besides, her priorities were changing fast; her family, which she had put behind for quite sometime, became the most important thing in her life, her marriage as well as her desire to do some more philanthropic work made her step away from competitive golf indefinitively.

Her decision is valid and respectable; what she did for golf, both in Mexico and in the world, exceeds any stumble, critic, tantrum or else. I never thought I would say this, because those who know me will assure I always expected a lot from her and that I was a harsh judge when talking about her game.

My last memory from Lorena? 

Well, it came on Saturday May 1st, 2010, she finished her 3rd round at the Tres Marías Championship, spoke with the media and after that she went by my side, made a pause and with that steady hand she has gave me 3 pats on the shoulder, she said hi and asked how I was. She had had her worst round of the tourney, still she took 1 minute to, somehow, acknowledge my job which has given me great satisfactions, awesome friends and very important media to publish for. Therefore, the only thing I can say is: 

THANK YOU, LORE!

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Halfway

With 36 holes to go in the Tres Marías Championship, Mexican Lorena Ochoa is still on her feet and hoping to fight for the crown in her farewell. Even when she's away from the top, the Guadalajara native has a chance to make it through.

Lorena was joined by her family and husband.

Tied in the 6th position, world number 1 is happy to see her fans support her, but being close to the leaders is a bigger incentive. Joined by Miyazato and Gulbis, Lorena fought hard to make birdies, but she only sank four of them compared to the four bogeys she made.

Meanwhile Japanese Ai Miyazato suffered to keep the lead and gave it away to Michelle Wie, who converted 8 birdie opportunities and made three mistakes, two of them in the last couple of holes. On the other hand, Brittany Lincicome made everything to tied for the lead and even made an ace on 13, but it was just not enough.

Now,  these golfers will keep the pace in order to seek for the title and try to overcome the climatic conditions, which have been a affecting their game and that will be a factor to tale into consideration for the weekend.