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Leading figures in women’s golf and seven Moroccan players in the spotlight at the 29th Lalla Meryem Cup
Held under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and under the effective presidency of His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation and the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association are organizing the 29th edition of the Lalla Meryem Cup, scheduled to take place from 21 to 23 May 2026 on the Blue Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat.
Much like the Hassan II Trophy, the Lalla Meryem Cup has welcomed, since its creation by the late His Majesty King Hassan II in 1993, some of the most prominent names in world golf. Marie-Laure de Lorenzi, Dame Laura Davies, Gwladys Nocera, Annika Sörenstam, Sophie Gustafson and Suzann Pettersen have all helped strengthen the international reputation of this women’s competition.
Part of the Ladies European Tour since 2010, the Lalla Meryem Cup continues, year after year, to confirm its standing as one of the key fixtures on the international women’s golf calendar. For this 29th edition, 132 players will gather at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam for a tournament contested over three rounds of stroke play, with a cut after the first two rounds.
England’s Cara Gainer, the defending champion, will return to Rabat to defend the Minaudière, the emblematic trophy awarded to the winner. Having claimed victory in 2025 with a score of -9, she will be among the players closely followed on the Blue Course.
Morocco will also be strongly represented, with seven Moroccan players taking part in the competition. Their presence reflects the growing depth of the national women’s talent pool, bringing together established figures, players competing on international circuits and young talents emerging from federal development programs.
Maha Haddioui will approach the Lalla Meryem Cup with strong momentum. A two-time Moroccan Olympian and now in her 13th year on the Ladies European Tour, she remains one of the leading figures in Moroccan women’s golf. Her recent performances on the international stage further confirm her current form and her consistency at the highest level of European competition.
Alongside her, Lina Belmati and Malak Bouraeda, both currently competing on the LET Access Series, will complete Morocco’s professional representation. Their participation illustrates the progress of a generation of players gaining exposure to international circuits while benefiting from structured support throughout their development.
In line with the work carried out to support the next generation, four amateur players from the FRMG’s Road to the Tour program will also take part: Sofia Cherif Essakali, Maria Eidhagen Harrouch, Noha Ghadi and Rim Imni. Already noticed at the Lalla Meryem Cup, where she has made the cut on three occasions, Sofia Cherif Essakali embodies the emergence of a new generation of Moroccan women golfers.
Year after year, the Lalla Meryem Cup continues to establish itself as a major event for women’s golf in Morocco. Held within the exceptional setting of the 50th edition of the Hassan II Trophy, it will offer Moroccan players the opportunity to compete in front of their home crowd, alongside leading names from the Ladies European Tour, in a setting shaped by history, transmission and competition.