Argentinian golfer Ricardo Gonzalez and Englishwoman Bronte Law emerged victorious from the 48th Hassan II Trophy and the 27th Lalla Meryem Golf Cup, respectively, held at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat from February 19th to 24th. Gonzalez claimed the Hassan II Trophy title with a score of 209 strokes (69, 70, 70), ten under par. He finished ahead of Dane Thomas Bjorg (210 strokes, nine under par) and tied third-place finishers Korean Yang Yong-eun and Australian Mark Hensby (both 212 strokes, seven under par). Expressing his satisfaction with the tournament conditions, Gonzalez said he felt «at home» in Morocco. Law dominated the Lalla Meryem Cup, part of the Ladies European Tour (LET), with a final score of 206 strokes (73, 69, 64), reaching thirteen under par. Frenchwoman Pauline Roussin Bouchard (209 strokes, ten under par) and Spanish golfer Fatima Fernandez Cano (210 strokes, nine under par) rounded out the podium. Delighted after securing the prestigious trophy, Law expressed her desire to return and compete at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in the future. Moroccan professional golfer Inès Laklalech, the 2022 Lacoste Ladies Open de France champion, secured a commendable seventh-place finish with a score of 213 strokes (68, 73, 72), six under par. The event also featured a Pro-Am tournament concluding on Wednesday, where Prince Moulay Rachid's team, comprising Karim Guessous, Omar Lahjomri, German champion Alex Cejka, and Mexican champion Maria Fassi, secured impressive second-place finishes in both the Pro-Am-PGA Tour Champions and cumulative rankings. Wednesday additionally saw two other Pro-Am events: the Pro-Am PGA Tour Champions Friendship Cup and the Pro-Am Hassan II Kids Cup by First Tee. The latter involved nine teams consisting of children from the national "First Tee" program and professional players from both circuits participating in the tournaments. Since its inception in 1971, the Hassan II Trophy has attracted golfing legends like Gary Player, Severiano Ballesteros, and Annika Sorenstam. The Lalla Meryem Cup, established in 1993, has similarly seen participation from prominent women golfers. Both tournaments, organized by the Hassan II Trophy Association (ATH), garner extensive television coverage across five continents. Morocco remains the only nation to host separate men's and women's events included in the European golf calendars.
