LET rookie professional Ines Laklalech has made history by becoming the first Moroccan, and first Arab woman to win a Ladies European Tour title at the Lacoste Ladies Open de France in Deauville.
The 24-year-old from Casablanca defeated Meghan MacLaren with a bogey five on the first play-off hole, the par-4 18th, at Golf Barrière.
“It feels amazing,” said a tearful Laklalech. “I don’t have any words to describe this.
“I’m surprised because the last time I was in contention was in Sweden at the Skaftö Open and I lost it over the last few holes. I was just too tense physically and I was very, very 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.
“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. 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.”
Laklalech is a big fan of Tunisian tennis star Ons Jabeur and she hopes that her victory will inspire more Arabic girls to follow their dreams to play on Tour. “Morocco is doing a great job in promoting golf and I think having a Moroccan winning on a major tour will be huge for the country and for the Arab world in general,” she said.
Following her victory, Laklalech climbed 38 places to 14th on the Race to Costa del Sol.
With five events still to be played on the 2022 LET schedule, the top 10 on the Race to Costa del Sol Rankings now features Linn Grant (1st), Maja Stark (2nd), Johanna Gustavsson (3rd), Manon de Roey (4th), Magdalena Simmermacher (5th), Megan MacLaren (6th), Ana Pelaez Trivino (7th), Lee-Anne Pace (8th), Georgia Hall (9th) and Liz Young (10th).
Next week will see the LET players tee up in the KPMG Women’s Irish Open.
Photo 1 Caption: LET rookie professional Ines Laklalech made history becoming the first Moroccan, and first Arab woman to win a Ladies European Tour title. Photo: LETgolf (Twitter)
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