Casablanca – Morocco’s Ines Laklalech made history this week in the professional golf tournament Lacoste Ladies Open de France by becoming the first Moroccan, Arab, and North African woman to win a title on the Ladies European Tour.
The Moroccan golfer won the tournament on September 17 at Golf Barriere Deauville, after a playoff round against the English Meghan MacLaren.
“It feels amazing,” the BBC reported the Moroccan champion as saying. “I’m surprised because the last time I was in contention was in Sweden at the Skafto Open and I lost it over the last few holes.”
She added, “I was just too tense physically and I was surprised with the way I felt physically today. I didn’t control anything. I felt sure that the past experience in Sweden would help me today and it did. I just played my game, played quite well and I’m just so happy.”
Laklalech spoke of being nervous and having to face her fears to perform well and achieve a lifelong dream.
“Of course going to the tee box in the playoff I felt very nervous but I hit a good shot and it was unfortunate how it ended, because Meghan didn’t have a good lie, but I feel like this is a two-in-one,” she explained. “I experienced a play-off and a victory at the same time. This is definitely something that I will remember for the rest of my life.”
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Meanwhile, the championship holder, Celine Boutier, placed sixth in the rankings, while the other French player, Anaïs Meyssonnier, ended in fourth place.
Maha Haddioui, the other Moroccan golfer, also performed well throughout the first two days, ending in 20th place with a card of 70.
After two rounds on Thursday and Friday, roughly 60 players were chosen for the final of this 32nd edition of the Open de France, which Laklalach won on Saturday.
This success offers Laklalech, who is 24, new prospects in the big tournament of the Race to Costa del Sol.
