Rabat, Morocco: The iconic Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat is set to take center stage as leading men and women golfers gear up to battle for top honours in the 49th edition of the Hassan II Golf Trophy and the 28th edition of the Lalla Meryem Cup, both teeing off later this week.
The Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s Red Course will host the Hassan II Golf Trophy while top-ranked female golfers will vie for Lalla Meryem Cup glory on the venue’s Blue Course.
Held under the high patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation (RMGF), led by HRH Prince Moulay Rachid, is organising the prestigious events from February 6 to 8.
The Hassan II Golf Trophy, a marquee event featuring top-class golfers over the years, boasts a remarkable lineup of 66 champions from 12 nations, including 11 Major winners with a combined tally of 16 Grand Slam titles.
Among them are four World Golf Hall of Fame inductees: Colin Montgomerie, the 1997 Trophy champion; Jose Maria Olazabal, a two-time Masters winner; Retief Goosen, a two-time US Open champion; and Ernie Els, who claimed victory in Rabat in 2008.
This year’s tournament also welcomes recent champions Stephen Ames (2023) and Ricardo Gonzalez (2024), underscoring its enduring appeal.
The field features elite golfers such as Major winners Tom Lehman and Stewart Cink, the ever-charismatic Miguel Angel Jimenez, Steven Alker (the No. 1 player on the 2024 Champions Tour), and prominent Asian players including Y E Yang, the first Asian Major champion, South Korean legend KJ Choi, and Thailand’s Thongchai Jaidee.
The Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s Red Course will host the Hassan II Golf Trophy.
Meanwhile, on the venue’s Blue Course, top-ranked female golfers will vie for Lalla Meryem Cup glory.
Last year's Lalla Meryem Cup winner Bronte Law (left) and the Hassan II Golf Trophy winner Ricardo Gonzalez with their trophies.
The event has historically attracted luminaries such as Marie-Laure de Lorenzi, Dame Laura Davies, Gwladys Nocera, Annika Sörenstam, Sophie Gustafsson, and Suzann Pettersen.
This year marks the 13th anniversary of the Lalla Meryem Cup as a Ladies European Tour (LET) season opener.
The 108-strong field includes Thailand’s Trichat Cheenglab, LET’s top-ranked player in 2023, and Switzerland’s Chiara Tamburlini, the 2024 LET Order of Merit winner and Joburg Ladies Open champion.
Both are strong contenders for the coveted Minaudiere trophy.
Past champions Klara Davidson Spilkova (2017), Nuria Iturrioz (2016, 2019) and reigning champion Bronte Law will return to defend their titles.
Morocco will be well-represented by five players. Ines Laklalech, Morocco’s flag bearer at the Paris 2024 Olympics, eyes another impressive run after finishing seventh last year.
Two-time Olympian Maha Haddioui, a seasoned LET competitor, embarks on her 12th season. Lina Belmati and Malak Bouraeda add strength to the professional lineup, while 15-year-old Sofia Cherif Essakali, the 2024 African Amateur Champion, continues to make waves.
Notably, Sofia made history by twice making the cut at this event, including as a 13-year-old, and remains a promising talent.
The Lalla Meryem Cup reaffirms its status as a cornerstone of global women’s golf, providing players an unparalleled platform to shine while offering fans a feast of world-class action.
The Pro-Am Hassan II Golf Trophy will take place today, alongside training sessions for the players.
