Scott Kelly, Group Marketing Director of the European Tour and the LET’s Executive Director, Alexandra Armas at Mohammédia

A new chapter of golfing history has been written in Morocco with the staging of the Hassan II Golf Trophy on the men’s European Tour and the Lalla Meryem Cup on the Ladies European Tour in the same country, in the same week.

Never before has this happened in the 38 year history of the European Tour and the 32-year history of the Ladies European Tour respectively.

This new chapter in the rich and exciting history of the Hassan II Golf Trophy will undoubtedly enhance golf’s visibility in the worldwide media, as well as showing Morocco as a top quality golf tourism destination.

Today Morocco already has no less than 25 golf courses, with many of those featuring the signature of the world’s great golf course architects. It will be even more impressive when 15 more courses are added over the next five years.

Over the last 37 years some of the leading names in the men’s game such as Payne Stewart, Nick Price, Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo and Ernie Els have played in the Hassan II Golf Trophy, while the Lalla Meryem Cup was inaugurated in 1993 and is celebrating its 16th staging this week.

Now that the Lalla Meryem Cup is a full field LET event, the tournament has moved to Royal Golf Anfa Mohammédia, while the male professionals remain at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.

However the tours came together on Friday19th March, when Scott Kelly, Group Marketing Director of the European Tour, met the LET’s Executive Director, Alexandra Armas, at Mohammédia.

Kelly was delighted at the historic new frame work and commented: “I think it’s very important, at a time when golf has been accepted into the Olympics, that under the Royal patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and Princess Lalla, we have got both men’s and women’s events in the same country in the same week.

“It’s a first in history, I think it’s fitting that it’s in Morocco. The support for the Royal Family over 37 years of the men’s event and now 16 with the women’s event is extraordinary. It really puts golf in the world stage so we are excited to be joined together. I’ve very much enjoyed my visit to Mohammédia and I think we’re going to have a great tournament. I think what we do is we’re working together to grow the game and by showing both sides we’ll have a bigger spot light for golf, so I think it’s a good idea.”

Armas, who gave a speech at a joint function in Rabat on Wednesday evening, continued: “I think it has been very successful from our perspective. It’s a great opportunity to get to know our colleagues at the European Tour and to observe what they are doing, share information, to get to know their players, their routines, for them to get to know us a little bit more and strengthen that collaboration. There are a lot of synergies in what we do and it’s important to maximise those opportunities.

“I think the public is looking for more interesting aspects to events and combining men’s and women’s golf will have a high profile. I hope we can work together to make that happen.

“The Olympics will definitely have an impact. It is our responsibility as organisers working in golf to ensure that this opportunity that has been given to golf is maximised. The decision has been made but a lot of work has to go into it to make sure that we reach grass roots level and really reach into countries where golf is not performed by the masses.

“The heritage of this event, for us, as an organisation, it’s the first time that we’ve been involved but many of our players have previously come to this tournament. It has a lot of history and a lot of heritage and it’s at a place where people have always come back. I think that the Royal Family has shown the essence of Morocco through these events to all the players.”

To continue the tradition of the Hassan II Trophy, both events will feature a combined prize giving ceremony on Sunday afternoon presided by His Royal Highness the Prince Moulay Rachid.