Maria Hernandez

Started playing golf at the age of 12 and credits her parents as the individuals who influenced her career the most.
Hernandez, the 2009 NCAA player of the year from Purdue University, turned in a strong collegiate career, which was capped off with the NCAA Division I Individual Championship. She won 13 times while at Purdue and in 2008, she won the Big Ten Conference Championship and was named the Purdue female athlete of the year. She is a two-time Duramed National Golf Coaches Association (NGCA) All-America First Team selection, and a two-time Big Ten Conference player of the year, both in 2007 and 2008.
An eight-year member of the Spanish National Team, Hernandez is a five-time European Team Championship gold medalist and earned a gold medal at the 2005 Mediterranean Games as an individual and as a team.
In June of 2009, she turned professional. She finished sixth at the LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, where she earned Priority List Category 11 for the 2010 LPGA season. She played in the Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic and tied for 52nd at the CN Canadian Women's Open.
In 2010, her rookie season on the Ladies European Tour, she played in seven events and earned her maiden victory at the inaugural Allianz Ladies Slovak Open at Gray Bear Golf Club with a one-shot victory over Kristie Smith. She posted two further top-10 finishes: a tie for fifth at the Open de Espana Femenino and a tie for seventh at the ABN AMRO Ladies Open. Finished 14th on the order of merit with earnings of euros115,588.82. Finished second on the LET Rookie of the Year standings to South Korean In Kyung Kim.
2011 Notes: Played in five Ladies European Tour events, with a best finish of T-15th at the ANZ RACV Ladies Masters.
2012 Notes: Maria played a limited schedule due to injury (bulging disc). She competed in three Ladies European Tour events with a season-best finish of T-17th at the Lacoste Ladies Open.
2013 Notes: Maria played in 15 Ladies European Tour events, with a season-best finish of T-16th at the Aberdeen Asset Management Ladies Scottish Open. She ended the season ranked 68th on the Money List.
2014 Notes: Played in 19 LPGA events making three cuts. Best finish T-39th at the KIA Classic. Finished 149th on the money list. Made six LPGA starts, Maria's best finish was T-2nd in the Lacoste Ladies Open de France at Golf de Chantaco.
2015 Notes: Played in 20 LPGA events, making 11 cuts. Best finish T-19th at the KIA Classic, she finished 105th on the money list. Only played twice on the LET, best finish T-58th at the ISPS Handa Women's Australian Open.
2016 Notes: Played in just three LET events, best finish T-17th at the ISPS Handa New Zealand Women's Open.
She has had injuries throughout most of her career. In 2014 while in China acquired a parasite and suffered an ulcer on her intestine that made her intolerant of gluten, glucose, and fructose. Injuries in 2016 forced a limited schedule and she did not play at all in 2017 due to injuries.
2018 Notes: Made her first start at the Oates Vic Open missing the cut, did the same at the Actewagl Canberra Classic. Her best finish was T-50th at the Kingsmill Championship.