The curtain fell on Saturday on the 47th edition of the Hassan II Trophy and the 26th edition of the Lalla Meryem Golf Cup. After three rounds of competition, victory went to Canadian Stephen Ames, in the Hassan II Trophy, thanks to a card of 9 strokes under par. In the Lalla Meryem Cup, Sweden’s Maja Stark dominated the proceedings by signing an excellent score of 12 strokes under par. This edition of the Lalla Meryem Cup was also marked by the new record achieved by Inès Laklalech, Maha Haddioui and the young sensation of the tournament Sofia Cherif Essakali, who managed to pass the cut.
More than a return of champions, the 47th edition of the Hassan II Trophy and the 26th edition of the Lalla Meryem Cup was a winning comeback after a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. For six days (from February 6 to 11), the legends of the PGA Champions Tour circuit and the stars of the Ladies European Tour competed on the mythical red and blue courses of the Royal Golf Dar Es Salaam, offering a beautiful spectacle to golf lovers in Morocco and abroad.
In the Hassan II Trophy, it was the Canadian Stephen Ames who dominated the proceedings thanks to a card of 9 strokes under par. A first victory for the 58-year-old golfer in Morocco, he who had participated in the Hassan II Trophy more than 30 years ago. In second place in the standings, we find Australian Mark Hensby who returned a card of 4 strokes under par, while third place went to another Australian, Richard Green, with a score of -3.
In the Lalla Meryem Cup, the victory went to the Swede Maja Stark, who returned a card of 12 strokes under par, thus signing a sixth title on the European circuit on her record. Second place went to her compatriot Linn Grant (-8), while Indian Aditi Ashok finished third with a score of -7.
Three Moroccans pass the cut, a new record for national golf
In addition to the historic participation of seven Moroccan golfers in the 26th edition of the Hassan II Trophy, a new record was broken this year, with the passage of the cut by three Moroccan players. Indeed, Inès Laklalech, Maha Haddioui and the young Sofia Cherif Essakali managed to reach the final round of the tournament. Inès Laklalech significantly improved her score to finish the second round in 40th place with a score of 74 shots (+5 in total). She was joined by veteran Maha Haddioui, and young tournament sensation Sofia Cherif Essakali who, aged just 13, made the cut for her first appearance in a European Women’s Tour event. Another record.
Stephen Ames, winner of the Hassan II Trophy: Winning the Trophy is special to me
“It’s fantastic to win here in Morocco. When I was 20 I missed winning the tournament, I had finished second, but in 2023 I came back and won. It’s very satisfying. Winning the Trophy is something special for me, as this is the second time the PGA Champions Tour has returned to the Trophy. One of the biggest obstacles during the competition was the difficulty of the course, but other than that, everything was perfect. It’s a similar event to the ones we play in the United States.”
Maja Stark, winner of the Lalla Meryem Cup: I am happy to have been able to manage the stress and keep my level high to win
“It’s great to win here. The course is difficult, but pleasant. I’m happy to have been able to keep my level high to develop my game and not fall into stress. The course here is more interesting than the ones we are used to playing, because there are a lot of details to assimilate. Among the difficulties I faced on the course, it was the greens which are a bit tricky, because the ball does not roll calmly on them, but with the help of my caddy, things went well.
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Questions to Sofia Cherif Essakali, the youngest golfer in the Lalla Meryem Cup: My goal is to join the LPGA
How do you judge your performance during this edition?
I’m very happy with my week, I played well. There were a lot of people who followed me, so I had a lot of pressure, moreover, I evolved quite a bit under the pressure. So it’s a good experience for me and I’m happy with my performance. My attention was mainly focused on playing blow by blow and above all not thinking about who my opponents are.
Did the presence of six other Moroccan golfers in the tournament give you motivation?
Yes exactly, they are very nice, we were in the same hotel, so we spent a lot of time together and we talked about our days in the tournament. I learned a lot from them.
What are your long term goals?
First, I am participating in a tournament in the next few days in the United States, then, for the long term, I would like to continue my education in the golf college in the United States, then, when I am a little older, I would like to continue at Stanford University and after that I aim to join the LPGA circuit.
>> Read also: Hassan II Trophy and Lalla Meryem Golf Cup: LL.AA.RR Prince Moulay Rachid and Princess Lalla Meryem chair the award ceremony
