Daniela Darquea Bio
Daniela Darquea (born 26 July 1995) is a professional golfer from Quito, Ecuador. She has competed on the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour, and she has represented Ecuador in major international competitions, including the Pan American Games and the Olympic Games. A graduate of the University of Miami, Darquea turned professional in 2016 and built her early résumé on the Symetra Tour before earning full status on the LPGA Tour.
Early Life and Background
Daniela Darquea was born on 26 July 1995 in Quito, Ecuador. Growing up in the high-altitude capital, she developed her game against a backdrop of club golf and junior competition that has produced much of the country’s top talent. Her early path in the sport carried her from local amateur circuits to a scholarship opportunity at one of the most competitive college programs in the United States.
Darquea attended the University of Miami, where she played golf with the Miami Hurricanes. As a collegiate athlete she balanced a demanding academic load with high-level tournament play. Her years in Miami provided the platform that allowed her to test herself against elite amateur fields in North America and to prepare for the next step in her career.
Path to Golf
At the University of Miami, Darquea earned recognition as a WGCA All-American, an All-American Scholar, an All-ACC selection, and an All-ACC Academic honoree in 2014. She captured college titles at the Briar’s Creek Invitational, the Hurricane Invitational, and the Suntrust Gator Women’s Invitational, results that underlined her consistency and her ability to win across different course types.
Beyond college golf, Darquea represented Ecuador in team competition. She played at the 2015 Pan American Games and the 2016 Espirito Santo Trophy, and she qualified for the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club, becoming one of the few Ecuadorian amateurs to reach a major championship venue. These appearances marked her transition from a promising junior golfer to an internationally recognized amateur.
Daniela Darquea Career
Early Career (2016–2017)
Daniela Darquea turned professional in 2016, deciding to forgo the remainder of her senior season at the University of Miami. She finished T29 at the 2016 LPGA Final Qualifying Tournament, a result that earned her partial status for the 2017 LPGA Tour season. That year she made one LPGA start while spending the majority of her schedule on the Symetra Tour, the official developmental circuit of the LPGA.
On the Symetra Tour in 2017, Darquea made the cut in 16 of 22 starts and recorded six top-10 finishes. The headline result was her victory at the IOA Championship, and she added a runner-up finish at the Symetra Classic. The season confirmed her readiness for a full year on the LPGA Tour.
LPGA Tour Breakthrough (2018–2019)
In 2018, Darquea played a full schedule on the LPGA Tour, appearing in 19 events and making 10 cuts. She closed the year 95th on the money list, and her season-best finish was a T5 at the Marathon Classic. The campaign established her as a regular on the world’s premier women’s tour and showed she could compete in the upper half of the field.
The following year she returned to the LPGA Tour, finishing 97th on the money list. Her best result came at the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship, where she recorded a T6 finish. Across the two seasons she showed steady improvement and a willingness to attack birdie opportunities on a variety of course layouts.
Ladies European Tour Era (2025–Present)
Daniela Darquea qualified for the 2025 Ladies European Tour by earning medalist honors at the LET Q-School. The achievement opened a new chapter in her career, placing her on a global circuit that emphasizes links-style and continental European venues, and giving her access to a fresh schedule of events.
Her move to the LET reflects a long-term goal of building a sustainable international career. With full playing rights secured, she is positioned to focus on consistent cuts, top finishes, and selective returns to the LPGA Tour through partner events and limited sponsors’ invitations.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Daniela Darquea’s career came when she qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, becoming a representative of Ecuador on the sport’s biggest multi-sport stage. She also reached the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club during her amateur years, an early signal of her major-championship pedigree. Her IOA Championship victory on the Symetra Tour remains her headline professional win to date.
Daniela Darquea Career Wins
Daniela Darquea has built her professional résumé around steady competitive play across the Symetra Tour, the LPGA Tour, and the Ladies European Tour. Her career win total includes a Symetra Tour title at the IOA Championship, and she has added multiple top-10 finishes in majors-adjacent LPGA events. As a representative of Ecuador in team competition, she has also collected valuable experience at the Pan American Games, the Espirito Santo Trophy, and the Olympic Games.
Symetra Tour Highlights
On the Symetra Tour in 2017, Darquea secured her first professional victory at the IOA Championship. The win, paired with a runner-up finish at the Symetra Classic, capped a season in which she made 16 cuts in 22 starts and posted six top-10 finishes. The result marked her as a player ready for full-time LPGA Tour membership.
Other Wins and Performances
As an amateur, Daniela Darquea won three college events for the Miami Hurricanes, including the Briar’s Creek Invitational, the Hurricane Invitational, and the Suntrust Gator Women’s Invitational. She also qualified for the 2015 U.S. Women’s Open at Lancaster Country Club and played for Ecuador at the 2015 Pan American Games and the 2016 Espirito Santo Trophy.
Daniela Darquea Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Publicly available information about Daniela Darquea’s parents and immediate family has not been confirmed by verified sources. She is widely recognized in Ecuador as part of the country’s growing community of female professional golfers, and she has spoken about representing her country with pride at the Pan American Games and the Olympic Games.
Personal Life
Daniela Darquea has kept her personal life largely private. There are no confirmed public details about a spouse, partner, or children. Her professional social media presence centers on tournament play, training, and her commitments to the LPGA Tour and the Ladies European Tour.
2025 Season Performance
Daniela Darquea entered 2025 with full playing rights on the Ladies European Tour after earning medalist honors at LET Q-School. The season is a fresh start on a circuit that complements her LPGA Tour experience and offers a different mix of course types, from parkland layouts in continental Europe to traditional links venues. Her early-season focus is on building confidence through consistent cuts and contention appearances.
Her status as a former Symetra Tour champion and an LPGA Tour regular provides a clear competitive baseline. With several seasons of major-stage experience behind her, including Olympic competition in Tokyo, Darquea brings poise to LET events and is targeting a season-best finish and a potential late-season push for the Order of Merit standings.
Looking ahead, the 2025 LET schedule allows her to remain eligible for selected LPGA Tour opportunities through partner events and sponsor invitations. The combination of dual-tour access, recent Q-School success, and prior experience at the highest level points to a season in which Daniela Darquea can translate her steady ball-striking into measurable results.