The Ladies European Tour moves from Saudi Arabia to Morocco, where the Lalla Meryem Cup takes place from February 22nd to 24th at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Blue Course) in Rabat, featuring players like Alessandra Fanali, coming off two strong performances in the first two events of 2024, and Virginia Elena Carta.
Let, schedule
In the field are two past winners, Spanish Nuria Iturrioz, who secured victories in 2016 and 2019, and Czech Klara Davidson Spilkova, who won in 2017, both considered favorites. Iturrioz, a 28-year-old from Palma de Mallorca, boasts four titles on the circuit, one on the Symetra Tour (now Espon Tour), and three on the Santander Golf Tour. She has also competed on the LPGA Tour, similar to Davidson Spilkova, a 29-year-old from Prague, who has two wins on the LET, including the Women’s Irish Open in 2022, after returning to Europe following three years on the US tour.
Among the numerous contenders for the title are Shannon Tan, a 19-year-old from Singapore who won the Magical Kenya Ladies Open and currently leads the money list, Thai Trichat Cheenglab, winner of the 2023 Order of Merit, Indian Diksha Dagar, Spanish Ana Pelaez Trivino, Dutch Anne Van Dam, and Swedish Johanna Gustavsson. Other notable players include Germans Alexandra Forsterling and Olivia Cowan, English Gabriella Cowley and Alice Hewson, Danish Nicole Broch Estrup, South African Nicole Garcia, Belgian Manon De Roey, and French Pauline Roussin-Bouchard. There is anticipation for Ines Laklalech, the first Moroccan to win on the continental circuit (Open de France, 2022).
Not to be forgotten among the favorites is Alessandra Fanali, in excellent form supported by her second-place finish in Kenya, where she narrowly missed victory, and her 14th place in last week’s Aramco Saudi Ladies International. As for Virginia Elena Carta, she will aim to redeem her less fortunate start to the season in Saudi Arabia, where she missed the cut.
The event, established in 1993, is in its 27th edition, but it has only been part of the Ladies European Tour calendar since 2010. In the first 15 editions, however, it consistently featured the top young talents of the time. During that period, Sophie Sandolo secured the only Italian victory in 2006, while English players Lora Fairclough (1996, 1999) and Johanna Head (2002, 2003) achieved consecutive wins. The prize purse is $450,000.
" title="
You must be logged in to post a comment Login