A man has been charged with murder, hours after prominent Spanish golfer Celia Barquín Arozamena was found dead on an Iowa golf course.
Barquín, 22, won the European Ladies’ Amateur championship in July and was a leading student athlete at Iowa State University.
Golfers at the Coldwater Golf Links in Ames discovered an unattended golf bag on the course early on Monday.
Barquín was found dead by police a short distance away.
Police in the Iowa city of Ames said they had determined that Barquín died following an assault.
Collin Daniel Richards, also 22, has been charged with her murder, police say. He has no known address, according to their statement.
Originally from Puente San Miguel in Spain, Barquín was finishing her degree in civil engineering this semester, the university said.
During her time in the US, she rose to prominence as a young golfer, winning the 2018 Big 12 university championship, and was named Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year. She had also missed the first few weeks of university life in Iowa while participating in the Youth Olympic Games in China.
“We are all devastated,” said the head women’s golf coach, Christie Martens.
“Celia was a beautiful person who was loved by all her team-mates and friends. She loved Iowa State and was an outstanding representative for our school. We will never forget her competitive drive to be the best and her passion for life.”
In a video profile of the young golfer published in April, Barquín spoke about how Ms Martens had been “like my second mom, always taking care of me”.
The head of Spain’s Olympic Committee, Alejandro Blanco, spoke of his deep shock at the tragedy and solidarity with Celia Barquín’s family.
Iowa State said she “was one of the most accomplished players in Cyclone golf history”, referring to the university’s sporting nickname.
The university’s athletics director, Jamie Pollard, said: “Celia had an infectious smile, a bubbly personality and anyone fortunate enough to know her was blessed.”
Barquín will be honoured by the university at a football game on Saturday.
An outstanding player
James Standley, BBC Sport
Celia Barquín Arozamena’s successful amateur career reached its highest point when she won the European Ladies Amateur Championship less than two months before her death.
Barquín shot a course-record 63 at Slovakia’s Penati Golf Resort in the third round on her way to a one-shot victory.
Earlier in the year she had won American collegiate golf’s Big 12 Championship and had been named Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year.
Her European win had secured her an invitation to the professional Women’s British Open next year at Woburn, and she also qualified for the professional 2018 US Women’s Open.
Described as an “outstanding team player” by the Royal Spanish Golf Federation, she was part of the Spanish team that came third and second at the 2015 and 2016 European Amateur Team Championships.
Nacho Gervás, technical director of the Spanish Golf Federation, told El País newspaper: “She was a player who was heading for the very top, without a doubt.”
Source: bbc.co.uk
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