Sun Devils Nordqvist, Munoz to compete in Solheim Cup

Sun Devil women's golf alumni Anna Nordqvist and Azahara Munoz were named to the European Team for the 2011 Solheim Cup. The battle, held once every two years, between the best women's professional players from Europe and the United States will be held at the Killeen Castle in Ireland from Sept. 23-25.

"It's a huge honor," said Munoz. "My goal this year, the only thing I was thinking about, was playing The Solheim Cup. I'm so excited and I don't even have the words to describe how I feel right now. It's always been a dream."

Munoz, who earned a spot on the European team as one of team captain's Alison Nicholas' wild card selections, is making her Solheim Cup debut. The Spain national, who won the 2008 NCAA individual champion as a member of the Arizona State women's golf team, earned LPGA Rookie of the Year honors in 2010 for her stellar professional debut.

Nordqvist, the two-time NGCA All-American and Pac-10 Player of the Year for Arizona State, is making her second Solheim Cup appearance as a member of the European team. Nordqvist, who originally hails from Eskilstuna, Sweden, turned professional at the start of the 2009 spring season.

Nordqvist and Munoz, who were teammates at Arizona State from 2007-2008, are the eighth and ninth Sun Devils to compete in the prestigious event.

The Solheim Cup is the most prestigious international team even in women's professional golf, which pits the best US-born players against the best European-born players in a match-play competition. The Solehim Cup is named for Karsten Solheim and his family, the makers of PING golf.