A Spaniard who won the European Ladies’ Amateur championship in July has been found murdered on a US golf course. There has been a bewildered reaction to the news on social media.
A 22-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Celia Barquin Arozamena, whose lifeless body was found on a golf course in Iowa on Monday, September 17.
Police were called to the Coldwater Golf Links in Ames at 10.20am on Monday when a group of players found an unattended golf bag.
— European Golf Association (@EGA_golf) 18 September 2018
Miss Barquin’s body was found nearby and within hours Collin Richards, 22, was charged with first-degree murder.
Richards, who has a history of domestic abuse and harassment according to the Iowa State Daily, was believed to have been homeless.
— Iowa State Daily (@iowastatedaily) 18 September 2018
It is not known if she was sexually assaulted or if she had known Richards.
Miss Barquin had recently left Iowa State University, where she had been combining golf with a degree in civil engineering.
— Celia Barquín (@celiabarquin) 31 July 2018
“Celia had an infectious smile, a bubbly personality and anyone fortunate enough to know her was blessed,” said Iowa State University’s Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard in an online statement .
“We will never forget her competitive drive to be the best and her passion for life,” said Christie Martens, Iowa State Univeristy’s head women’s golf coach.
— Celia Barquín (@celiabarquin) 28 July 2018
She said Miss Barquin was “loved by all her teammates and friends” and was an “outstanding representative of our school.”
Iowa State President Wendy Wintersteen said she was “deeply saddened to learn of the tragic death” of Miss Barquin, who she described as an”acclaimed golfer with a bright future.”
— mr krabz (@OffsetProfit) 18 September 2018
Miss Barquin, who grew up in Puente San Miguel, near Santander, also won the 2018 Big 12, a college championship, and was voted Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year.
She was ranked the 69th best woman golfer in the US by Golfweek.
