October 5, 2014 – Azahara Muñoz, from Spain, came from four strokes behind the overnight leader Maria Hernández to retain her Lacoste Ladies Open de France title at Golf de Chantaco. Both Ping staff golfers, first and second tied at the final leaderboard, showed their best game throughout the week playing together with the brand’s G30 driver and Ketsch putter.

The 26-year-old from San Pedro de Alcantara, near Malaga, birdied the last two holes to end a stroke clear of Hernández and Amy Boulden.

Welsh Ladies European Tour rookie Boulden, playing in the penultimate group, set the target at 10 under par and watched as Hernández missed her birdie putt before Muñoz expertly sent her ball into the middle of the hole from three metres.

“I just love this place, you know. I’ve been playing well all week but putts weren’t dropping and when it came to the last two I knew I needed at least one birdie to go to the play-off,” said Azahara Muñoz. “When I dropped that one at 17 I thought I had a really good chance and on 18 too, I just focused on hitting a good putt. Putts haven’t dropped all week so I guess it was my time and I’m just really happy. On 11, 12, 13 and 14 I made pretty good par putts and that kept me going and then three birdies in the last four.”

Muñoz birdied the second, but slipped down the leader board with a double bogey on the third hole. She recovered with birdies on seven and nine before dropping another on the 10th hole. She began her birdie run with an up and down from beside the 15th green and then holed putts of 2.5 and 3 metres on the 17th and 18th holes respectively for a final round of 67 and a total of 11 under.

Maria Hernandez, who led after each of the first three rounds, went to the turn in one under par with a three stroke cushion but made three bogeys on holes 10, 13 and 16. She said: “I was hitting the ball consistent but not as close as the last few days and I missed three short putts and made three bogeys and didn’t make any birdie putts.”

What’s in Azahara’s golf bag?

• Driver: Ping G30 (9º, Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 5s, tipped 0.50”, 45.25”, Ping 703 Aqua grip)
• Fairway woods: Ping G25 (18º, Fujikura Speeder, 6.0-5, 1º flat, tipped 0.50”, 45.25”, Ping 703 Aqua grip); Ping G25 (15º, Graphite Design Tour AD-DI 6s, Ping 703 Aqua grip)
• Hybrid: Ping G25 (20º, Ping TFC 189-S, 1º flat, stad. Lenght, D0, Ping 703 Aqua grip)
• Irons: Ping i25 (4-PW, Nippon 850-R, std. lenght, custom lofts, D0, Ping 703 Aqua grip)
• Wedges: Ping Tour (52º, 58º, Nippon 850-R, std. length D3, Ping 703 Aqua grip)
• Putter: Ping Ketsch, 35”, 21º lie, 2.5º loft, PP58 Grey Midsize w/40g plug in shaft)
• Clothing: Lacoste

Azahara celebrates her win with her caddie Jonny Scott.