Kiran Matharu has high expectations for this week’s Lalla Meryem Cup as she returns to Morocco hoping to clinch her first victory on the Ladies European Tour.

The 23-year-old Englishwoman was in contention before finishing in a tie for second last year at Golf du Soleil in Agadir, ending two strokes behind Slovakia’s Zuzana Kamasova.

The tournament has moved to nearby Golf de l’Ocean this year but Matharu has proved she has the game for Morocco having tied for 23rd in the 2010 event at Royal Golf Anfa Mohammedia during its first year on the Ladies European Tour.

Matharu has fond memories of Morocco and added: “This is my third time here and I’ve always played well so we’ll see what happens. I think I’m capable of a victory because my game has improved so much since last year.”

After changing her golf clubs last year, she gained 20 yards of distance with her irons and 10 yards with her driver.

“I’m hitting it a lot longer and more consistent, which is what I’ve been working towards and what I wanted, so hopefully it will pay off this week,” she said.  

On Golf de l’Ocean, which co-hosted the Trophée Hassan II last year along with Golf du Palais Royal, Matharu added: “It’s a fantastic course and it’s tricky and narrow in places. The back nine is a lot harder than the front nine because it’s quite tree lined and some of the par threes are playing quite long, but I like it.”

The Lalla Meryem Cup was inaugurated in 1993 and joined the Ladies European Tour schedule for the first time in 2010, the same year that the Trophée Hassan II became an official event on the men’s PGA European Tour. Now in its 18^th year, the Lalla Meryem Cup has become one of the most international and diverse events on the LET schedule attracting players from 23 different countries worldwide.