Karandeep Kochhar arrives at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the midst of one of the most consistent runs of his professional career, having recorded three top-10 finishes in just five Asian Tour starts this season.

The 26-year-old’s impressive form includes a tied-ninth finish at last week’s am green IGPL Bharath Classic, which came off a tied-fifth result at International Series Japan and fourth place at the Philippine Golf Championship. That strong run came after he claimed victory at the Egypt Golf Series Red Sea Open on the Asian Development Tour.

Reflecting on his season so far, Kochhar believes his results are a fair reflection of the progress he has made in his game.

“I think I’ve been playing really well this year. I’ve only played five events so far and I’ve already had three top-10 finishes, so that’s definitely encouraging,” said Kochhar.

“Even in the other events, I felt like I was playing solid golf. In New Zealand, I just had a poor Sunday, and in Singapore I wasn’t playing my best, but I still managed to make the cut, which I was happy about.”

That consistency has been tested over the past three weeks as Kochhar competed throughout Morocco’s unique professional golf swing, progressing from the Asian Development Tour and Asian Tour to this week’s International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco.

Having played all three events, the Indian admitted the stretch has been physically demanding, particularly in the challenging coastal conditions at Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort.

“It’s definitely been a bit taxing. The last two weeks at Mazagan were tough because it’s such a windy golf course, and playing in those conditions takes a lot more energy out of you,” he said.

“I’m definitely feeling a little tired, but I keep reminding myself how important, and potentially life-changing, this tournament is. I’ll have a long break after this week, so it’s worth giving everything I’ve got.”

Kochhar’s performances have also made him the leading Indian player in the events held in partnership between the Asian Tour and the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL), a role he takes considerable pride in.

“I think it’s awesome. There’s so much talent on the IGPL Tour and in Indian golf in general, so it was great to see the IGPL and Asian Tour come together for this partnership,” he said.

“I’m fortunate that I’ve been able to do well and finish as the top Indian player recently, and I definitely take pride in that. Of course, you always want to finish high on the leaderboard overall, but there’s also a part of me that wants to be the best Indian finisher each week.”

This week’s International Series field also gives Kochhar another opportunity he has been relishing, spending time alongside Indian golfing icon Anirban Lahiri.

The pair were already sharing some friendly competition before tournament week officially began.

“We actually had a little seven-hole match today. Me and Aryan (Roopa Anand) versus Anirban and Shaurya (Bhattacharya),” Kochhar said with a smile.

“Aryan and I were two down with two holes to play, but I birdied the last two holes to halve the match. I was pretty happy about that.”

Kochhar also values the chance to learn from one of India’s most accomplished golfers.

“Honestly, it’s amazing having Anirban here. It means a lot for all of us when someone with his experience comes out to The International Series and spends time playing practice rounds with us.

“He has so much knowledge from playing on the PGA Tour and LIV Golf over the years, and you can learn so much just being around him. Right now, he’s carrying the Indian flag in global golf, and he’s an amazing role model — not just as a player, but as a person too.

“We’re all really happy to have him here, and hopefully I get to play some more rounds with him this week.”

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The winning moment

Tanapat Pichaikool wins the AM Green IGPL Morocco Rising Stars by three shots pic.twitter.com/fDatCfZLDm

— AsianDevelopmentTour (@ADT_golf) May 31, 2026

The 26-year-old started the final round leading by two shots after a magnificent eight-under-par 64 round on Saturday and managed to end it with the same margin on top of the leaderboard following a battling two-under 70.

Tanapat left a good-looking birdie putt inches short of the cup on the 18th hole, but the par was good enough as none of his nearest rivals could make a move.

Runchanapong Youprayong (70) started three shots behind Tanapat and finished third at -14, while Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman jumped ahead of him with a birdie on the last hole in his 67.

That birdie on the 18th proved crucial because it sealed Rahman’s place in next week’s US$500,000 am green Bharat Classic, an Asian Tour event at the same Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort venue.

American Henry Chung (67) was in solo fourth place at -13, with the Hong Kong duo of Matthew Cheung (69) and Hoho Yue (70).

The last time Tanapat won was on his 25th birthday in November 2024, when he clinched the Toyota Tour Championship. Even though he held the sole lead throughout the final day, he said it wasn’t easy to get over the line.

Tanapat narrowly missed out on a full card on the Asian Tour last year when he finished 69th in the Order of Merit, as he struggled with his swing, but feels he is close to playing his best golf now.

“I was nervous. For the past five hours, it was all up and down. Golf isn’t that easy when you come down to the last couple of holes trying to win a tournament. You know others want to sneak up and shoot five or six under. I knew I just had to stay in the moment,” said Tanapat.

“Lots of changes in the last 18 months. I just kept believing that the choices I made were good choices.

“Swing-wise, I worked a lot on my downswing. I’ve been doing quite a bit of work for the past two months, and I wasn’t getting the result I wanted. And then, all of a sudden this week, all the things are working.

“I switched the driver shaft (to Mitsubishi Tensei Blue 6X on his PING G440 LST) and I think that’s a fantastic decision I made last week. I changed it probably three days before I flew here. It’s new, but it just clicked. I just saw a couple drive which were straight and all of a sudden, it was just robotic.”

Tanapat added that he was very excited about next week’s Asian Tour event.

“Excited, very excited indeed. It’s on the same course, and I feel I know it inside out. I will just try to play the same golf as I did this week, and hopefully, the result is the same again,” he added.

Rahman may have fallen short by a couple of shots, but he still had the smile of a winner after finishing solo second. The 41-year-old Bangladeshi legend, winner of two Asian Tour titles, is in Morocco with his family and will now have to change his air tickets after gaining an entry into next week’s event.

“Honestly, I really enjoyed myself this week. My family is with me, so I really enjoyed my work without any expectation. I thought I would not get into the next two tournaments because I was so down on the waiting list, I had to change my tickets,” said the 2013 Indian Open champion, who lost his Asian Tour card last year after finishing 94th in the Order of Merit.

“I did not expect much and spent the time taking my baby to the swimming pool and the sea. I think it was the experience of playing without much expectation. So, yes, it was really very important to me to play well this week, and I am happy that I get into the next week.”

Runchanapong was eyeing that spot, which eventually went to Rahman, and he would rue the finish as he could not convert a single birdie after making three in his first eight holes and getting to within one shot of Tanapat. He then made a bogey on the 10th hole and finished with eight straight pars.

“I felt like I handled myself well out there. I gave myself a lot of chances, but the putter kind of went cold on the back nine. My distance control also felt a bit off with the wind, but it was a great experience overall to be in the last group and be in contention,” said Runchanapong, who improved to third place in the Order of Merit, one ahead of Tanapat.

“I am just trying to take it one tournament at a time. I have finished 12th on the ADT Order of Merit two times (2023 and 2024). That definitely stings a little bit and I’m just trying to improve that.

“I’m just gonna stick around another week, and hopefully, I can sneak in somehow. Let’s see if there are any withdrawals next week so that I get to play because I love this golf course.”

Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, built on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, will also host next week’s am green IGPL Bharath Classic, a US$500,000 tournament on the Asian Tour. That will be followed by the US$2 million International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco. The next ADT event is the US$100,000 DigiPlus Philippine ADT Open from June 17th to 20th.

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Pichaikool made an early eagle on the par-5 third hole on a windy Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort course, but immediately dropped a shot on the next hole. That was his only mistake as he added seven more birdies after that to reach 15-under par 201 total, two ahead of Argentina’s Franco Scorzato, who shot a bogey-free 67.

Another Thai star, Runchanapong Youprayong, shot a second 67 of the week to reach 12-under and was in solo third place.

American Carson Herron, son of four-time PGA Tour winner Tim, showed his golfing pedigree and shot the lowest round of the tournament. With nine birdies in his bogey-free 63, Herron jumped up 32 places to tied fourth alongside overnight leader Agusti Quinquilla Madalena of Spain (73) and Italy’s Michele Ortolani (66).

The tournament is the fifth leg of the Asian Development Tour (ADT) and is co-sanctioned with the Indian Golf Premier League (IGPL). Among the IGPL players in the field, Syed Saqib Ahmed (70) was the leading contender at seven-under and in tied 14th position.

The 26-year-old Tanapat finished tied sixth in a PGT of India Tour event earlier this year – his only top-10 finish of the season – and is now hoping to get his third ADT win in a tournament that is co-sanctioned by another Indian body – the IGPL.

Having narrowly missed out on a full card on the Asian Tour last year when he finished 69th in the Order of Merit, Tanapat is looking to bounce back to the form of 2024 when he won the Toyota Tour Championship in Malaysia. He has won thrice on the All Thailand Golf Tour since then.

“It was a great round. It was a bit up and down, but I got some good breaks. The game was a bit off for the next few holes and I picked it up with a birdie on the seventh hole and managed to keep up the momentum until the end of the round,” said Tanapat, who finished second to Itthipat Buranatanyarat in the 2024 ADT Order of Merit.

“The last few months have been a lot of swing changes, and a lot of equipment changes as well. That’s why I did not get good results, but I’ve been patient through all those times for this to come. So hopefully, I can keep this going tomorrow.

“I feel that I have been executing pretty well for the past three days, so hopefully tomorrow I can execute the same things. Let’s see what happens.”

Rookie Scorzato, who has not finished outside the top-23 in his last three ADT starts, will try and seal his best finish on the Tour. His previous best was a tied 8th at the Nam A Bank Vietnam Masters.

The 23-year-old made the turn in three-under with three birdies, and then kept bogeys away on the back nine with two more birdies.

“Today was a good round with no bogeys, which is always great. I hit almost every shot from the fairway, giving myself good birdie opportunities. There wasn’t much more to it than that; it was a very clean round, to be honest,” said Scorzato.

“I’m very happy to be in the last group. I think that reflects how well this week has gone, but at the same time, it doesn’t change anything about golf, and my mindset has to stay the same. I have to stay focused and committed to every shot, which is something I think I’ve been doing very well.”

The 23-year-old Herron has missed every cut in Official World Golf Ranking-recognised events this year, but Saturday was a walk in the park after making it to his first weekend of the season.

“I started in the back nine and I was able to put together a bunch of good shots and make a lot of putts. I kind of cooled down a little bit on the front nine. I kept trying to keep the pedal down, and that’s what I want to do tomorrow and just see what I can do.

“I started the week kind of slow, but I started hitting the ball better than I was in my last few tournaments. So, I kind of found something that clicked. I was just trying to hit some good wedge shots and just do well to square the clubs, and just piece it together.”

This week is the fifth stop of the 2026 season on the ADT. Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort, built on the Atlantic coast of Morocco, will also host next week’s am green IGPL Bharath Classic. The International Series Morocco presented by Visit Morocco, will bring the exciting North African adventure to a conclusion in three weeks.

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It was the second win of the season for the 21-year-old Chan following his triumph in the Lexus Challenge in March. The win almost guarantees that he’d be one of the graduates to the Asian Tour next season. Chan also booked himself one of the two places available in next month’s US$2 million International Series Morocco through a special money list from the two Morocco ADT events.

At the Jack Nicklaus-designed Samanah Golf Club on Sunday, Chan started the final round two shots behind overnight leader, Italy’s Luca Cianchetti, at 11-under par, and finished on 18-under par total. That was good enough to edge India’s Karandeep Kochhar, who shot a bogey-free 65, by one shot.

The victory was worth US$21,875 for Chan, who represented the University of Arizona Wildcats in the US during his college years. It pushed him past Thailand’s Tawit Polthai as the ADT Order of Merit leader with season’s earnings of US$38,352.17.

England’s Finlay Manson also came home with a round of 65, which lifted him to solo third place at 16-under, while Thailand’s Varanyu Rattanaphiboonkij (68) and England’s Sam Broadhurst (69) were tied fourth a shot further behind.

A final-hole bogey denied Morocco’s Ayoub Lguirati (71) a deserving top-10 finish, but the 31-year-old was still the leading player from his home country at 11-under and tied 13th place.

Chan took control on the back nine, especially on the stretch of five holes between the 12th and 16th, where he made four birdies. He then made two gutsy pars on the closing holes.

“You know, I couldn’t be any more grateful for being in this position,” said the 21-year-old from Manila. “I started the day with a birdie. My wedges instantly clicked in for me. I did bogey the second hole, but today, I felt that every time I was holding a wedge, I was getting it to the flag and then making a putt. That felt really good.”

On the possibility that he’d graduate to the Asian Tour next season, Chan added: “I’m feeling a big relief. The weight is off my back. Players like me, we really aim to play on a higher stage every time.

“So, I’m really happy that I was able to close this out and save myself a trip to the Q-School. I’m really excited for what comes ahead. I don’t know what the future holds, but I will stay focused on my goals.”

The Asian Development Tour will remain in Morocco and move some 20 kilometres northwards to Al Maaden Golf Resorts for its back-to-back event in Marrakech.

Both events are offering lucrative purses of US$125,000 and are jointly sanctioned with the Arab Golf Federation (AGF), as part of a three-year commitment.

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The 28-year-old Thai player fired a bogey-free round of nine-under par 63 on Thursday, matching the course record at the Jack Nicklaus-designed Samanah Golf Club.

 

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Despite going low, Varanyu only leads by one shot from Filipino star Aidric Chan, who made four birdies on both nines of the golf course to sit just one back at eight-under par.

The English duo of Matt Killen and Finlay Mason are in a tie for third at six-under with Malaysia’s Shahriffuddin Ariffin.

RELATED: Arab Golf Federation and Asian Development Tour unite to elevate Arab golf

Morocco’s Ayoub Lguirati, who finished tied fourth at last year’s Toyota Tour Championship, was best-placed Arab golfer in the field. Without dropping any shots, the 31-year-old finished on five-under 67, tied sixth with six other players.

“Very happy with my round today. Never missed anything. I played well all the way until I finished. I just tried to keep it simple, tried to enjoy my game, enjoy the weather and just laughed a lot through the round,” said Varanyu, who started his round from the first and was five-under par at the turn with four straight birdies from the sixth to ninth holes.

“I like the golf course. It is a lot of fun. So, I am happy to match the course record in my first time playing in Morocco.

“My favourite hole on the golf course is the ninth (537-yard, par-5), because I think I have a chance of making an eagle there.”

 

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Indonesia’s Peter Gunawan made his first hole-in-one in a competitive round when he aced the par-3 eighth hole, en route to a one-under par 71 effort.

“It was brutal and into the wind. It was playing about 178 yards. All I was thinking was, as long as I keep it left of the pin, the wind is going to push it back in. Hit a 5-iron, keep it about 30 feet left of the pin and see what happens,” said the 29-year-old Gunawan, who will be looking to make his first top-10 finish on the Asian Development Tour.

“I’m kind of blind, and I did not see it go in. My playing partner saw it and I was like, ‘Nah, it can’t be’. I went to the toilet, and when I came out, that was a happy little surprise.”

Apart from the winner’s cheque in the $125,000 event, the champion this week will almost be assured one of the two invitations up for grabs for the US$2 million International Series Morocco, which will be played from July 3-6. The two leading players from the aggregate money list from the two Morocco ADT events (not otherwise exempt) will earn the invitations.

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The top two players in an aggregate money list will earn spots in the Asian Tour’s US$2 million International Series Morocco, which takes place at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the Moroccan capital of Rabat from July 3-6.

https://twitter.com/ADT_golf/status/1935021644055032231

Leading Moroccan professional Ayoub Lguirati was brimming over with excitement to see his fellow-ADT combatants gear up to do battle in his country.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to have the ADT in Morocco with the two Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech events. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase Moroccan golf to a broader audience and inspire more people in the region to take up the game. It will also provide our local players with valuable exposure and experience competing at a high level,” said the 31-year-old, a regular on the ADT since 2023.

“Playing on the ADT has been an incredible experience. It’s competitive, yet there’s a sense of camaraderie among players. The opportunity to travel, meet golfers from around the world, and play on diverse courses has been invaluable to my growth as a professional,” he added.

 

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Lguirati shared some insights into the two venues, Samanah and Al Maaden, crafted by Nicklaus Design and Kyle Phillips respectively. “Both courses are challenging but in different ways. At Samanah, precision is key as the desert-style layout demands accuracy off the tee. Al Maaden, on the other hand, requires excellent short-game skills due to its strategic design and tricky greens.”

Ayoub Lguirati of Morocco – looking forward to welcoming fellow Asian Development Tour professionals on the Tour’s first visit to the African continent.

The field of 132 at Samanah includes 30 Moroccan players, consisting of 12 professionals and 18 amateurs. Lguirati and Soufiane Dahmane earned their starts through the ADT’s country exemptions, while the rest got in as regional exemptions (25 players) and tournament invitations (three players).

The other Arab Nations competing are Egypt, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The local players will be up against a strong international contingent, including 2025 ADT winners Gabriele De Barba of Italy, Suradit Yongcharoenchai of Thailand, Aidric Chan of the Philippines and Pakistani Ahmad Baig, as well as Asian Tour stalwarts Siddikur Rahman of Bangladesh and Berry Henson of the United States.

Lguirati noted that the events will help spur golf’s growth in Morocco, where the game has already taken strong root. “We have a solid foundation, thanks to the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation’s efforts. Promising amateurs like Adam Bresnu and Hugo Trommetter are showing great potential, and I believe they will represent Morocco on the international stage soon,” he said.

Off the golf course, Lguirati hopes that the players will find time to take in the exotic sights, sounds and tastes of Marrakech. “Marrakech is a vibrant city with so much to offer. I would highly recommend visiting Jemaa el-Fnaa, the Medina, and the Majorelle Garden. For something unique, a trip to the Atlas Mountains can be a memorable experience. Moroccan cuisine is world-renowned, and players should definitely try dishes like tagine, couscous and pastilla. Msemen, which is a Moroccan pancake, with honey or mint tea is a must!”

Having mustered a best ADT finish of joint fourth at the Toyota Tour Championship in Malaysia last November, Lguirati is hungry for his first title – and where better to achieve that feat than on home soil. “Winning an ADT event in Morocco would mean everything to me. It would be a dream come true to achieve this milestone in front of my home crowd, representing my country!”

Ken Kudo, General Manager of the ADT, lauded the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation for their vision and commitment. “It has been a privilege and an honour indeed to collaborate with the dedicated folk at the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation, whose foresight and dedication to the growth of golf have been key to bringing the two Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech events to fruition. We are extremely grateful for this opportunity to bring our tour to the beautiful nation of Morocco. I would also like to thank the Arab Golf Federation for their partnership and look forward to greater cooperation in the future.”

MORE: Qatari golfer Daniil Sokolov qualifies for 77th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship

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Two events in successive weeks, called the Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech tournaments, will be played in Morocco’s vibrant and colourful city of Marrakech in June – marking the first time the Asian Tour’s popular secondary circuit has visited the African continent.

 

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Marrakech Samanah Golf Club will host the first Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech event from 19-22 June, while Marrakech Al Maaden Golf Resort will welcome the second one the following week, from 26-29 June.

Both events will offer lucrative purses of US$125,000 and will be jointly sanctioned with the Arab Golf Federation (AGF), as part of a three-year commitment.

They will be part of a pioneering African adventure as they will lead into the International Series Morocco – being played on the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, in the nation’s capital Rabat, from 3-6 July.

Said Cho Minn Thant, Commissioner & CEO, Asian Tour: “Over the past few years the Asian Tour has regularly visited Morocco, and now the time is right for the Asian Development Tour to make its first visit.

“This is a signature moment and the result of collaborative efforts with key partners, the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association, the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and the Arab Golf Federation. We share their vision of building the profile of the game in the region in order to help nurture the next generation of professional golfers.

“We’d also like to thank Marrakech Samanah Golf Club and Marrakech Al Maaden Golf Resort. They will be two new wonderful venues for our membership to enjoy in one of the world’s most inspiring cities.

“The Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech events mark the start of an exciting new chapter for the Asian Development Tour that will open the door for some incredible new opportunities.”

Competitors in the two new ADT events will also have the opportunity to play in the International Series Morocco. Invitations will be extended to the two leading players (not otherwise exempt), from an aggregate money list over the two tournaments.

RELATED: Morocco’s Adam Bresnu named as a 2025 Jack Nicklaus Award recipient

Mustapha Zine, Vice President of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation, said: “Hosting the Asian Development Tour for the first time marks a new milestone for professional golf in Morocco. Through the Morocco Rising Stars Marrakech events, we are not only providing an international competitive platform but also creating a genuine opportunity for our talents to grow and progress.

“The inclusion of two of our courses on the Tour’s official calendar is a strong endorsement of the quality of our infrastructure and our thriving golf ecosystem.

“This initiative is fully aligned with the High Directives of our President, His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, who envisions Morocco as a global golf hub – capable of hosting major professional tournaments while fostering the rise of a new generation of Moroccan golfers.”

Each tournament will feature 132 players, with 70 from the ADT, 40 players nominated by the AGF, and several invitees.

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Malak Bouraeda – Tristan Jones/ LET

Belmati and Bouraeda both progressed through pre-qualifying to secure their spots in the field at Golf Lacs Saidia, which has 28 nationalities being represented across a total of 96 players, including 10 Tour winners and 19 rookies.

Chip-in alert!

Lina Belmati saves par in style #RaiseOurGame | #SEETheImpact pic.twitter.com/0xjsMO8FaH

— Ladies European Tour (@LETgolf) July 3, 2024

With a €50,000 prize pool on offer at the second event of the LETAS season, the Madaef Golfs Ladies Open by Saidia Resorts begins on Friday, 25 April, and concludes on Sunday, 27 April.

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Over in Morocco, at the opening event of the season on the Ladies European Tour, it was a day to remember for the Arab contingent playing on home soil, as all five of the Moroccan players are in the top 50 after the first round in Morocco.

With a field consisting of 34 nationalities worldwide, it includes five Moroccans playing on home soil: Ines Laklalech, who carried her nation’s flag at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Maha Haddioui, Lina Belmati, Malak Bouraeda, and 15-year-old Sofia Cherif Essakali, who is the youngest player in the field.

Arab Leaderboard after Round 1:
T14 Laklalech I (-2)
T24 Bouraeda M (-1)
T39 Belmati L (Par)
T39 Essakali S (Par)
T50 Haddioui M (+1)

“Golf in Morocco is trending in the right direction,” said Laklalech, who is tied for 14th after a two-under-par opening round. “We’re seeing more and more female golfers. I think the Federation is doing a great job in also growing the game, and we have an amazing facility here to practise.

“We’re very lucky, and hopefully, it keeps getting better and better.”

Even three-time Major champion, Padraig Harrington was singing the praises of Sofia Cherif Essakali earlier in the week.

https://twitter.com/ChampionsTour/status/1887229715062104418

The tournament is back for its 28th edition at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Blue Course), and once again sees the field competing for a €450,000 prize fund.

Leading at the top of the leaderboard after Thursday’s opening round is Brianna Navarrosa. The American got off to a dream start in her rookie season with a round of 67 (-6) to lead after day one of the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco.

She began her round with a birdie blitz of five back-to-back at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, with a further birdie on the 9th hole. An eagle on the 15th made it a solid start for her 2025 campaign.

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“It’s really big. For me, it’s a really important week in a sporting sense because there is a lot of money at stake and there are also a lot of world ranking points. The better the field, the more points you get. It’s a really important year, with the Olympics, so you want to get as many points as you can every week.

“But I think there is something bigger. We’re here in Saudi Arabia, we’re playing for 5 million U.S. dollars and I think that is a great statement to the importance of women’s golf for the Kingdom. I’m just really proud to be a small part of that and I’m really proud that myself and Ines (Laklalech) are two Arab players in the field.

 

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“I am 100% positive that there will be a lot more Arab players in the future. But, you know, it’s a start. What’s happening in the region there’s definitely been a shift of powers in the world of golf and I really think that it’s going to encourage people to take up golf. I’m not just talking at the high level, but it’s just as important to get leisure golf going.

“For example, weeks like this one, and the improvements that have been made to the course here at Riyadh Golf Club. It’s unbelievable. Just from last year how much better and how perfect it is.

“To me, growing golf in the region is not just through elite players, it’s also completely normal people taking up the game and playing golf. So, I think it’s really going to push it forward and I’m really excited for the future.”

There must be a huge sense of pride between yourself and Ines?

“Oh yeah! I’m so proud. Even though this event isn’t happening in my home country of Morocco, I still really feel at home here.

Maha Haddioui – LET

“It’s in the region and it’s the same culture to me, so it’s something I’m very proud of. We always look at the big tournaments in the U.S. the big tournaments in the U.K. the big tournaments in Europe. Now we have big tournaments in Saudi Arabia, and hopefully, we can get more tournaments in the Arab world and other countries that don’t have women’s events yet and they will look at this as an example.”

Do you think without the catalysts of the Arab Golf Federation and Golf Saudi, we probably wouldn’t be where we are today?

“Definitely. You can play golf and you can practice all you want, but it’s all about having the opportunities to compete. If you don’t have that big exam then what are you practicing for, and this week is that exam.

In the future, between yourself and Ines, how would you like to look back on these monumental years for being trailblazers in female Arab golf from a personal standpoint?

“Even though I am in my 11th year on tour, I still don’t want to stop. I just love it too much to stop. But I do look back and I do think, wow.

“On my first year on tour, there was just me. Then last year at the end of the year at the Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, there were seven Moroccan ladies competing.

Ines Laklalech. LET

“So, it’s with great pride and hope I’ve inspired young girls. I do speak to a lot of them, not in an arrogant way, but they would see me a girl from their hometown, playing on tour, and these are girls who come to my house, they know my parents, we grew up in the same neighbourhood like 500 meters away. So they will be thinking, if she can do it, then I can do the same.”

Is golf growing in all Arab countries? Do you feel it’s trending?

“Yes and no. If I’m going to be honest, we’re still missing a lot of tournaments in some areas of the Arab world where there are a lot of men’s events and still no women’s events. So, I think there’s still a lot of work to do. But again, if you see your neighbour doing something, maybe it’s a good idea to do the same.

“I’m very grateful for the opportunity that has been given to women’s golf and the trust, especially from Aramco. It’s not just this tournament, there are loads of Aramco events over this year. And to me, that’s a big statement. People don’t just put their money into something. It means they believe in women’s golf, and we also believe that it can grow and there’s so much further we can go.”

Maha gets her first round of the Aramco Saudi Ladies International underway at 11:25 local time and Ines at 11:45.

Image Credit: Mark Runnacles / LET

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