A proud Maha Haddioui is all smiles ahead of this week’s Lalla Meryem Cup as the home favourite welcomes her tour mates to Morocco for the 29th edition of the tournament.
The two-time Olympian tees up as her nation’s highest ranked player at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam with the Ladies European Tour (LET) event taking place on the Blue Course for the fourth year in a row.
“I’m very excited,” Haddioui said, one of seven Moroccans in the field. “It’s a special week when everyone is coming to your home. Especially with the course being in this condition and the weather being lovely. It’s really nice to be here.
“I’m so proud to be Moroccan and I’m so proud of what this tournament has to offer – what Rabat has to offer. I think it’s a beautiful city and I’m really happy that the people on tour who are now my friends, my travelling family, get to experience the country that I love. I’ve got my best friend here. My sister of course. My parents here and a few friends.”
Haddioui, 38-years-old, is teeing up at her home event for the 14th time this week. She first competed at the Lalla Meryem Cup as an amateur in 2011 where she placed T25. Her best finish since then in the competition was a T21 in 2016.
“I’ve played in this tournament a lot,” Haddioui said. “I first played it as an amateur which I got an invite for. It was in Agadir which is my home town. Then I’ve played in it every year since I got on tour.
“I have lot of good memories even though I’ve never really performed well in this tournament. I think previously I have put too much pressure on myself. Before it was also always a tournament which started the season. So I think that, as well as it being my home event, it was a little bit too much to handle. Hopefully this week is different.”
Having been on the LET since 2013, Haddioui is enjoying a consistent season in 2026 sitting 40th on the Order of Merit. She has made six cuts form eight and finished T7 at last month’s Investec SA Women’s Open.
“I would say the difference this year for me, which is a weird one, is that I’m doing a lot less,” the Moroccan said. “I’m doing less of the course and am just thinking about trying to play really good golf. I think that has made a massive difference. As a lot of people know, I used to over practice, over work, over do things. Now I’m doing quality over quantity. It’s been working well and I’m really enjoying it.”
Ines Laklalech remains the only Moroccan to play win on the LET having claimed the Lacoste Ladies Open de France in 2022. Haddioui is hopeful her fortunes will change at her home event this week as she aims to become the first Moroccan to win the prestigious Lalla Meryem Cup.
“I’ve got used to [being the home star] now but it’s still a lot of pressure,” she continued. “It’s a lot of tension I would say for me because I really want to do well. Sometimes in golf, the harder you try the less it works. It’s about trying to take it as another tournament but it’s hard because there’s family and friends here and a lot of people that want you to do well. That’s the tough thing about it.”
Haddioui gets underway at the 29th Lalla Meryem Cup at 13:07 on Thursday playing alongside England’s Esme Hamilton and Germany’s Chiara Noja.
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