Coming into the week at 101st in the Race to the CME Globe, Azahara Munoz has a lot on the line as the Tour enters the back half of the season.

Every cut made is an opportunity to play her way inside the top 100 of the year-long points race, which would guarantee her status for the 2026 LPGA Tour season. After carding back-to-back 68s to sit in a tie for third on a day that saw three weather delays and a suspension of play at 7:15 p.m. due to darkness, Munoz is trying to take advantage of this latest chance to make moves in the Race at the FM Championship.

The 37-year-old started strong on Thursday at TPC Boston, going bogey-free and recording four birdies to post a 68 and sit in a tie for 13th. Despite rainy conditions on Friday, Munoz managed to stay relaxed and make the best of what was a challenging situation. She posted another bogey-free 68 to card back-to-back rounds in the 60s for the first time since the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer in June, where she tied for fifth, what is her only top 10 of the season.

She finished her rounds consistently after making four birdies in her first 10 holes, parring out from 11 all the way through 18 despite several stops and starts during the day, a testament to the strong mental game that Munoz has brought with her to Norton, Mass.

"I played very solid, hit a lot of fairways, a lot of greens, didn't get myself in trouble. It's easier to say when you're playing well. Things don't affect you as much either," said Munoz, who hit 10 of 14 fairways and 15 of 18 greens on day two. "I feel like I'm in a good state of frame. I'm pretty calm. My husband is here, my little one is here. Like always, just trying to enjoy myself out there."

Having her son, Lucas, and husband, Timothy, watch her compete in round two was a heartwarming experience for Munoz. She has always dreamed of being a mom while playing on the LPGA Tour against the best athletes in the world. She knows Lucas is still a little young and might not remember every shot she hits, "but hopefully one day he'll remember being out here and watching me play. It was really nice to see him on the last (hole), cheering me on, so it's very special."

Typically, LPGA Moms don't see their children during tournament rounds, as the Tour’s childcare team usually doesn’t bring the kids around the course, fearing they might distract their mothers. But after a long day, being able to see family would be enough to give anyone a little extra mental strength, an extra boost that an athlete might need to finish a round off, something that could be a slight advantage, says Munoz, especially on a day like Friday at the FM Championship.

"I was not expecting to see him on the last (hole),” said Munoz with Lucas sitting on her lap during her press conference after the second round. “It's been really nice. My husband doesn't get to come very often, and especially on days like today, that's such a long day. We were saying it sucks to have a delay, but at least we're together. At least we can enjoy our time together."

This week in Massachusetts marks Munoz’s 14th start of the 2025 season, and in her 13 previous appearances, she has missed six cuts and earned one other top-30 finish, along with her season-best T5 result at the ShopRite LPGA Classic presented by Acer, a tie for 29th at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship. Munoz played in the inaugural FM Championship in 2024, finishing in a tie for 60th at TPC Boston.

With her 2026 status on the line, Munoz will be taking every solid finish she can get as she works to move inside the top 100 of the Race to the CME Globe, and through two rounds in Norton, Mass., things look promising as Munoz will be working to chase down a much-needed top-10 result over the weekend at the FM Championship.

Azahara Munoz’s Consistent Play Puts Her in Good Position at FM Championship

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