By Brian Wacker
The trial for the man charged with killing amateur golfer Celia Barquin Arozamena last month in Iowa has been scheduled for Jan. 15, District Judge Bethany Currie ruled on Monday.

Collin Richards, a 22-year-old drifter who investigators say attacked the reigning European Ladies Amateur champ while she played a round at Coldwater Links Golf Course in Ames, Iowa, on Sept. 17, entered a written plea of not guilty on Monday morning and waived his right to a speedy trial. He is charged with first-degree murder.

According to police, Barquin Arozamena, who was finishing up her academic work at Iowa State University this fall after playing on the women’s golf team the past four years, suffered multiple stab wounds in her torso, head and neck. She was found in a pond on the course after her abandoned bag had been discovered by other golfers.

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RELATED: Amateur standout Celia Barquin Arozamena found dead on golf course

Europa Press
Celia Barquin Arozamena’s father Marcos Barquin (R), her boyfriend Carlos (L) and her mother Miriam Arozamena attend the Sept. 30 funeral for the standout amateur golfer, who was murdered on Sept. 17 at a golf course in Iowa.

Court documents made public last week, according to the Des Moines Register, stated that in the days after Barquin Arozamena was found, police executed search warrants looking for knives, fingerprints and other physical evidence. Police have obtained two kitchen knives they believe are connected with the murder. Police also seized six articles of clothing near the campground where Richards had recently stayed that they say had apparent blood stains, as well as tents, two blankets and a backpack.

Barquin Arozamena capped her senior season with the Cyclones in the spring by winning the Big 12 individual women’s title and being named the Iowa State Female Athlete of the Year. She was in the process of finishing a degree in civil engineering degree and was preparing Stage II of LPGA Q school this fall.

RELATED: Ryder Cup teams wear yellow ribbons to honour slain golfer

The post Trial date set for suspect in murder of amateur standout Celia Barquin Arozamena appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
SAINT-QUENTIN-EN-YVELINES, France—There was never much of a discussion about it, according to European captain Thomas Bjorn. There didn’t need to be frankly. In the wake of the tragic news of the murder of Spain’s Celia Barquin Arozamena, everyone associated with the European side knew they wanted to do something to remember the accomplished amateur who was hoping to secure an LPGA Tour card later this year.

Which is why, throughout the week at Le Golf National, each member of the home side will be wearing a yellow ribbon with Celia’s name on it.

“The golfing family extends way beyond what we are trying to do this week,” Bjorn said on Tuesday. “Such a great prospect for the game of golf, she was, but also a wonderful person.”

The shock of Barquin Arozamena’s death has yet to wear off for many, particularly for those who knew her as a college golfer at Iowa State, where she won the Big 12 individual title to wrap up her career in the spring, and her fellow Spaniards, who watched her game develop over the years. Barquin Arozamena was playing a round of golf by herself in Ames, Iowa, on Sept. 17 when she was found stabbed to death. Police have charged Collin Daniel Richards with first-degree murder, alleging that this drifter carried out a random act of violence.

“When you speak to Sergio [Garcia] and Jon [Rahm] about it, they couldn’t talk highly enough about her,” Bjorn said. We felt like that was appropriate for the week.”

During his play at last week’s Portugal Masters, Garcia shot an opening 66 in a round he had dedicated to Barquin Arozamena.

Heartbroken over what happened to #CeliaBarquinArozamena I had the pleasure of meeting her and I know she was a special person. Sending my thoughts and prayers to her family and loved ones in this difficult time

— Sergio Garcia (@TheSergioGarcia) September 18, 2018

Officials with the European Ryder Cup team reached out to Barquin Arozamena’s mother to get her blessing. She forwarded to them that her daughter’s favourite colour was yellow.

Gareth Fuller – PA Images

The post Ryder Cup 2018: Why the European team will be wearing yellow ribbons this week at Le Golf National appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Ryan Herrington
One of the most celebrated golfers in the history of the Iowa State women’s golf program was found dead at an Ames, Iowa, golf course on Monday with police suspecting foul play.

Celia Barquin Arozamena, a 22-year-old from Spain who had finished her senior season in the spring by winning the Big 12 individual title, was taking classes to complete her civil engineering degree this fall and preparing for Stage II of LPGA Q school. On Monday, her body was discovered at Coldwater Links Golf Course after officials were concerned with seeing a golf bag with no one near it on the course. Barquin Arozamena was eventually found some distance away. Police report that it appears she was assaulted before she died but did not say how she was killed.

Late Monday night, Ames police arrested and charged Collin Daniel Richards, 22, with first-degree murder.

“We are all devastated,” Iowa State women’s golf coach Christie Martens said in a school release. “Celia was a beautiful person who was loved by all her teammates 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.”

Barquin Arozamena with her European Ladies Amateur trophy.

At the completion of her career at Iowa State, Barquin Arozamena had become the school’s all-time leader in stroke average (73.44) and her 16 top-10 finishes tied for second most in Cyclone history. She earned All-Big 12 honours three times and played in NCAA Regionals all four years in school. She was also a three-time first-team academic all-Big 12 selection.

Barquin Arozamena’s accomplishments helped her be named the school’s female athlete of the year.

This summer, her play on the course continued to shine as she qualified for the U.S. Women’s Open in June and won the European Ladies Amateur in July, which earned her a spot into next year’s Women’s British Open.

https://twitter.com/CycloneWGOLF/status/1041893840360271873

The post Decorated college/amateur golfer found dead at course; police charge suspect with first-degree murder appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.