By Kent Gray
History, some long since parked and a result still fresh, hints against Maha Haddioui breaking her LET duck this week but the Arab trailblazer insists she can’t lose either way.

As the first Arabic professional golfer to play on tour, the Moroccan 32-year-old knows better than most the significance of this week’s LET double-header at Royal Greens Golf & Country Club in King Abdullah Economic City.

“I am really pleased and proud to represent my region in my region,” said Haddioui on the eve of the inaugural $1m Aramco Saudi Ladies International presented by Public Investment Fun (Nov. 12-15) and the $500,000 Saudi Ladies Team International (Nov. 17-19).

“It’s a big tournament, a big statement and it’s positive to see women’s golf get more recognition. Saudi is opening up to the world of golf and it is going to help grow the game, which I am happy about. I can’t wait to get started on Thursday.

The 72-hole Aramco Saudi Ladies International will be Haddioui’s 102nd LET start. She’s still searching for her first win and arrived in KAEC fresh from a lowly T-38 finish at last week’s OMEGA Dubai Moonlight Classic. But she has rattled off three top-12s in this disrupted season, including a 6th placing at the Swiss Ladies Open in Sept.

“Winning anywhere would be special but it would mean a lot more to happen here in an Arab country. I love the course, I love the place and feel really welcome here,” who has career earnings of €139,847 on the LET.

“I am so grateful to be able to have picked up the game and it has changed my life, I’d love for other Arab women to be able to pursue this and enjoy the opportunities that I have had.”

“The prize fund is a huge statement from Golf Saudi.

To celebrate the historic nature of both tournaments, Golf Saudi will this week launch a world-first ‘Ladies First Club’, which will offer free golf to 1,000 women living across the Kingdom.