By Craig Morgan, special to TheSunDevils.com
The Olympic women's golf tournament got underway on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, and that was significant on a couple fronts for Arizona State women's golf coach Missy Farr-Kaye. It was the first time since 1904 that an Olympics had included golf, and on the women's side, five former Sun Devils were competing for their respective nations – the most representing any NCAA program.
Miriam Nagl, who has dual citizenship in Germany and Brazil, is representing the host country. Carlota Cigonda and Azahara Muñoz are representing Spain, Anna Nordqvist is representing Sweden and Giulia Molinaro is representing Italy.
"Just from watching it the last week, I think the cool factor has gone up significantly and I don't think anybody really knew what it was going to mean for golfers to be on a stage remotely like Michael Phelps is on, until now," Farr-Kaye said. "I think it's great for our sport and the players are learning it's absolutely a stage like no other."
Part of the initial lack of enthusiasm for Olympic golf was the current format: four rounds of stroke play (like every other important tournament) instead of match play (like the Solheim or Ryder cups) or two-person teams instead of individuals, but Farr-Kaye thinks that can be tweaked.
"I think they could definitely benefit by tweaking the format a little bit," she said. "I had breakfast with Giulia Molinaro recently and she said it's a shame there is not a team component. If they are able to bring the team aspect into it, it will be even more exciting."
In the meantime, Farr-Kaye will be keeping close tabs on the Sun Devil five, four of whom she coached (she knows Nagl as well, who played under coach Linda Vollstedt at ASU).
"They are all incredible women who are thrilled to represent their countries," Farr-Kaye said. "I'm really grateful to be able to call them my friends."
Miriam Nagl
Age: 35
Born: Curitiba, Brazil (lives in Berlin, Germany)
ASU career: Played for one year before turning pro in 2001.
Pro wins: 3
Currently: Plays on Ladies European Tour.
Best moments: In 2016, won Moss Vale Ladies Classic on ALPG Tour (Australia).
Notable: As a Brazilian, Nagl was asked to hit the opening tee shot on Wednesday to launch the first Olympic women's golf tournament in 112 years.
Carlotta Cigonda
Age: 26
Born: Pamplona, Spain
ASU career: Member of Sun Devils' NCAA championship team in 2009 as freshman. Made conference history as first to win consecutive Pac-10 individual titles in 2009 and 2010, and finished third in 2011.
Pro wins: 4
Currently: Plays on Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour.
Best moments: Won British Ladies Amateur in 2007; won European Ladies Amateur Championship in 2004 and 2008; won LET's Order of Merit (money title) in debut season in 2012, and was also named Player of Year and Rookie of Year. Won Deloitte Ladies Open and China Suzhou Taihu Open and had 10 additional top-10s finishes in 2012 on LET.
Farr-Kaye quip: "Whenever our team (ASU) is doing well, I receive text messages from her with just one word, 'Vamonos!' which means 'Let's go!'"
Azahara Munoz
Age: 28
Born: Doña Mencía, Córdoba, Spain
ASU career: Was 2008 NCAA Individual Champion in junior year, winning by making 25-foot putt on first hole of playoff with UCLA's Tiffany Joh in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Had surgery on right wrist in January 2009 that sidelined her for more than a month during senior year, yet still finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in Maryland to lead Sun Devils to 2009 NCAA team title.
Pro wins: 4
Currently: Plays on Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour.
Best moments: Won 2002 Spanish Amateur title at age 14; 2004 Girls British Open Championship, and was 2009 British Ladies Amateur champion (Cigonda finished second). Was runner-up to Amanda Blumenherst at 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur in Eugene, Oregon, and was member of Europe's Junior Solheim Cup Team in 2002, 2003, and 2005. Named LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2010 with 704 points. Notched first LPGA Tour victory at the Sybase Match Play Championship in Gladstone, New Jersey in 2012.
Farr-Kaye quip: "Aza is like the All-American Spaniard; the girl next door. The girls want to be her and the boys want to date her."
Anna Nordqvist
Age: 29
Born: Eskilstuna, Sweden (lives in Orlando, Florida)
ASU career: Pac-10 co-champion in 2007, earning freshman of year honors. Was also named National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Freshman of Year, Pac-10 Player of Year and Newcomer of Year. Tied for fifth at 2008 NCAA Championships.
Pro wins: 9
Currently: Plays on Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour.
Best moments: In only fifth start on the LPGA Tour, posted first win, which came in a major: the LPGA Championship in Maryland in June 2009. Named Rookie of the Year on LET. At Solheim Cup in 2013, won her alternate shot match with Caroline Hedwall with a hole-in-one at the 17th hole. It was the first hole-in-one in Solheim Cup history.
Farr-Kaye quip: "She left ASU as the No. 1 ranked player in collegiate golf and that was no surprise because she is extremely disciplined and driven. If you had a whole team of Anna Nordqvists you'd have a team with amazing work ethic."
Giulia Molinaro
Age: 26
Born: Camposampiero, Italy
ASU career: Became fourth Arizona State player in conference history to be named Pac-12 Golfer of the Year after senior season in 2012. Tied for second at the Pac-12 Championships in 2012 and recorded eight top-10 finishes.
Pro wins: 1
Currently: Plays on Symetra Tour (Italy) and LPGA Tour.
Best moments: Named Symetra Tour Rookie of the Year in 2013. Earned LPGA Tour card for 2014 and 2016.
Farr-Kaye quip: "Her story in interesting. She was born in Italy but not long after the kids were born, her parents decided to move to Kenya and start a resort for safaris outside Nairobi. She has a special love for elephants. She is convinced this one elephant, which she has named Jumbo, knows who she is. You'll see the elephant represented in her logo and different things."
The Olympic women's golf tournament got underway on Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, and that was significant on a couple fronts for Arizona State women's golf coach Missy Farr-Kaye. It was the first time since 1904 that an Olympics had included golf, and on the women's side, five former Sun Devils were competing for their respective nations – the most representing any NCAA program.
Miriam Nagl, who has dual citizenship in Germany and Brazil, is representing the host country. Carlota Cigonda and Azahara Muñoz are representing Spain, Anna Nordqvist is representing Sweden and Giulia Molinaro is representing Italy.
"Just from watching it the last week, I think the cool factor has gone up significantly and I don't think anybody really knew what it was going to mean for golfers to be on a stage remotely like Michael Phelps is on, until now," Farr-Kaye said. "I think it's great for our sport and the players are learning it's absolutely a stage like no other."
Part of the initial lack of enthusiasm for Olympic golf was the current format: four rounds of stroke play (like every other important tournament) instead of match play (like the Solheim or Ryder cups) or two-person teams instead of individuals, but Farr-Kaye thinks that can be tweaked.
"I think they could definitely benefit by tweaking the format a little bit," she said. "I had breakfast with Giulia Molinaro recently and she said it's a shame there is not a team component. If they are able to bring the team aspect into it, it will be even more exciting."
In the meantime, Farr-Kaye will be keeping close tabs on the Sun Devil five, four of whom she coached (she knows Nagl as well, who played under coach Linda Vollstedt at ASU).
"They are all incredible women who are thrilled to represent their countries," Farr-Kaye said. "I'm really grateful to be able to call them my friends."
Miriam Nagl
Age: 35
Born: Curitiba, Brazil (lives in Berlin, Germany)
ASU career: Played for one year before turning pro in 2001.
Pro wins: 3
Currently: Plays on Ladies European Tour.
Best moments: In 2016, won Moss Vale Ladies Classic on ALPG Tour (Australia).
Notable: As a Brazilian, Nagl was asked to hit the opening tee shot on Wednesday to launch the first Olympic women's golf tournament in 112 years.
Carlotta Cigonda
Age: 26
Born: Pamplona, Spain
ASU career: Member of Sun Devils' NCAA championship team in 2009 as freshman. Made conference history as first to win consecutive Pac-10 individual titles in 2009 and 2010, and finished third in 2011.
Pro wins: 4
Currently: Plays on Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour.
Best moments: Won British Ladies Amateur in 2007; won European Ladies Amateur Championship in 2004 and 2008; won LET's Order of Merit (money title) in debut season in 2012, and was also named Player of Year and Rookie of Year. Won Deloitte Ladies Open and China Suzhou Taihu Open and had 10 additional top-10s finishes in 2012 on LET.
Farr-Kaye quip: "Whenever our team (ASU) is doing well, I receive text messages from her with just one word, 'Vamonos!' which means 'Let's go!'"
Azahara Munoz
Age: 28
Born: Doña Mencía, Córdoba, Spain
ASU career: Was 2008 NCAA Individual Champion in junior year, winning by making 25-foot putt on first hole of playoff with UCLA's Tiffany Joh in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Had surgery on right wrist in January 2009 that sidelined her for more than a month during senior year, yet still finished fourth at the NCAA Championships in Maryland to lead Sun Devils to 2009 NCAA team title.
Pro wins: 4
Currently: Plays on Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour.
Best moments: Won 2002 Spanish Amateur title at age 14; 2004 Girls British Open Championship, and was 2009 British Ladies Amateur champion (Cigonda finished second). Was runner-up to Amanda Blumenherst at 2008 U.S. Women's Amateur in Eugene, Oregon, and was member of Europe's Junior Solheim Cup Team in 2002, 2003, and 2005. Named LPGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 2010 with 704 points. Notched first LPGA Tour victory at the Sybase Match Play Championship in Gladstone, New Jersey in 2012.
Farr-Kaye quip: "Aza is like the All-American Spaniard; the girl next door. The girls want to be her and the boys want to date her."
Anna Nordqvist
Age: 29
Born: Eskilstuna, Sweden (lives in Orlando, Florida)
ASU career: Pac-10 co-champion in 2007, earning freshman of year honors. Was also named National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) Freshman of Year, Pac-10 Player of Year and Newcomer of Year. Tied for fifth at 2008 NCAA Championships.
Pro wins: 9
Currently: Plays on Ladies European Tour and the LPGA Tour.
Best moments: In only fifth start on the LPGA Tour, posted first win, which came in a major: the LPGA Championship in Maryland in June 2009. Named Rookie of the Year on LET. At Solheim Cup in 2013, won her alternate shot match with Caroline Hedwall with a hole-in-one at the 17th hole. It was the first hole-in-one in Solheim Cup history.
Farr-Kaye quip: "She left ASU as the No. 1 ranked player in collegiate golf and that was no surprise because she is extremely disciplined and driven. If you had a whole team of Anna Nordqvists you'd have a team with amazing work ethic."
Giulia Molinaro
Age: 26
Born: Camposampiero, Italy
ASU career: Became fourth Arizona State player in conference history to be named Pac-12 Golfer of the Year after senior season in 2012. Tied for second at the Pac-12 Championships in 2012 and recorded eight top-10 finishes.
Pro wins: 1
Currently: Plays on Symetra Tour (Italy) and LPGA Tour.
Best moments: Named Symetra Tour Rookie of the Year in 2013. Earned LPGA Tour card for 2014 and 2016.
Farr-Kaye quip: "Her story in interesting. She was born in Italy but not long after the kids were born, her parents decided to move to Kenya and start a resort for safaris outside Nairobi. She has a special love for elephants. She is convinced this one elephant, which she has named Jumbo, knows who she is. You'll see the elephant represented in her logo and different things."