Melissa Reid at a photo-shoot in Australia Photos: Michael Klein/Herald Sun

England’s Melissa Reid is hoping to secure her first professional victory on her maiden voyage to Morocco for this week’s Lalla Meryem Cup, beginning at Royal Golf Anfa Mohammédia near Casablanca on Thursday.

Reid finished in tied 16th place at last week’s Handa Women’s Australian Open in Melbourne and is “desperate” to claim her first title after four runner-up finishes over the last two years.

“I am desperate to win, I’ve been really close a number of times before,” said Reid, 22, from Derbyshire, who recorded eight top ten finishes on the LET in 2009.

“My swing is now more consistent, simplified. My short game has got much better. I’ve got a new technique for all parts of my short game; it is the same technique for each type of shot which gives me more consistent results. I’ve also worked a lot on my putting.

“I’ve never been to Morocco. I’ve really looking forward to the food, as I love Moroccan food.”

As part of her preparation for the season, Reid played a couple of games with The 2009 and 2011 European Solheim Cup Captain Alison Nicholas, which she hopes will help her to achieve her golfing dreams.

“I’ve had a couple of games with Alison and she has given me advice on what areas to work on,” said Reid, who hopes to make her Solheim Cup debut in Ireland next summer.

“I went to Alison because she’s English, I have a lot of respect for her, she’s a proven international player; for example, she won US Women’s Open. I need to work on my putting. Also, the mental side is massively underrated in my opinion.”

This week’s €275,000 event, which is named after HRH Princess Lalla Meryem, started in 1993 but has joined the Ladies European Tour schedule for the first time in this, its 16th year.

The event is being staged at the same time as the Trophée Hassan II at nearby Royal Golf Dar es-Salam on the men’s European Tour and there will be a joint prize giving ceremony on Sunday.

The women’s tournament takes place from 18-20 March in the coastal town of Mohammédia near Casablanca, with 111 players. The leading 60 players and ties after 36 holes will contest the final round on Saturday.

Former winners in the field include Germany’s Elisabeth Esterl, who won the event in 2000, and Italian Sophie Sandolo, the 2006 champion. They are joined by four of last year’s winners in Frenchwoman Jade Schaeffer, Felicity Johnson of England, Austrian Nicole Gergely and Swede Linda Wessberg. Frenchwoman Marie-Laure de Lorenzi won the inaugural Lalla Meryem Cup in 1993, while recent winners include France’s Gwladys Nocera and England’s Laura Davies in 2007 and 2008 respectively.

There are five players preparing to make their professional debut this week. They are December’s Qualifying School medalist Caroline Masson from Germany, Julie Maisongrosse of France, England’s Corisande Lee and the Scottish duo of Carly Booth and Kylie Walker. Meanwhile there are a number of other players from Qualifying School who are playing in their first LET event.

Mallory Blackwelder has made the trip over from the United States with her father and caddie, Worth, who previously worked for Julie Inkster, while Denmark’s Monica V.Christiansen, Spain’s Mariana Macias Capuzzi and Rhian Wyn Thomas of Wales are all playing in their first LET event.

With many of the Australian players remaining at home after the tour’s Australasian swing, the tournament offers a tremendous opportunity for a potential first time champion and we could even see a rookie winner emerge.