Atalaya trained Azahara Muñoz, who plays on both the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour, finished day one of the 74th US Women’s Open Championship in Fifth Place, carding a score of 68. The four-day tournament was held at the Country Club of Charleston, in Charleston, South Carolina, from the 30th of May through the 3rd of June and is the oldest of the LPGA’s five Major championships.
With four birdies and one bogey, Azahara ended the day only three shots behind the leader Japan’s Mamiko Higa, who signed her card with a 65.
Thursday’s weather conditions offered many challenges with wind gusts of more than 40 kilometres per hour, but Azahara took the reigns into her own hands and timed many of her second shots and putts just at the right moments. The Malagueña carded a bogey on the very difficult 11th hole, a par three with a history of only “an average of 3.47 hits”. Then, she made a sterling comeback with birdies on holes 12, 14 and 15.
This year marked Azahara’s 11th participation in the Women’s US Open where she has made the cut every year except 2016. Thursday’s round of 68 was the second time she has shot under 70 in a Major.
Unfortunately, Azahara could not match her exceptional Day One round during the next three days of the tournament and finished the championship tied for 55th (T55) at +7. Still, Azahara remains a strong contender with tremendous, unfulfilled promise for the future.
The other four Women’s Major tournaments are: the ANA Inspiration, the Women’s PGA Championship, the Women’s British Open, and the Evian Championship.
