Malak Bouraeda and Lina Belmati are proud to be teeing it up in their home country this week on the LET Access Series (LETAS).
The Tour is making history with the first event held outside of Europe – the Madaef Golfs Ladies Open – taking place from 25-27 April at Golf Lacs Saidia.
Bouraeda, who turned professional in 2024, has been looking forward to this week and is enjoying showing Morocco to her friends.
“It’s really exciting,” said the 24-year-old. “It’s a testament to everything that the Federation of Morocco is trying to do, for not only golf in general, but especially women’s golf. We’re lucky to have an LET event in Rabat in February, but to have a LETAS event here is really special.
“To have two events in the season at home is really exciting and I love the fact that I get to show the country to people that may not have seen it before. It’s really exciting to see the growth of the women’s game, especially in a country like Morocco.”
The University of Colorado graduate believes the weather conditions especially the wind will play a part in the scores this week.
Golf Lacs Saidia offers a testing challenge for the 95 players with water a prominent feature across the golf course.
Bouraeda, who will tee it up in the first round at 12.28 pm (local time), continued: “I just played a quick nine holes, but it’s a really nice course. It’s tricky and weather conditions are going to play a big role this week, but the greens are in really great condition. It’s a beautiful course, and I am really looking forward to it.
“Last year, I struggled with a lot of injuries, so I didn’t really get to play nearly as much as I was hoping to. I’m really excited for this year, just really trying to enjoy every tournament, every experience, getting to travel the world with my friends and getting to experience new places. It’s really special.”
Similarly, Belmati is excited and proud to be able to tee it up in a LETAS event on home soil for the first time, as well as showing her friends her homeland.
“I’m incredibly honoured to be here,” said Belmati. “We already have Q-School here, we have an LET event and now we have a LETAS event, which is coming to Morocco for the first time.
“I’m very proud about that and I’m very proud that I’m able to play here at home and in front of people that speak my language. It’s very very heartwarming to to be here. Also, I’m very pleased to have my friends here in Morocco. We travel together and now I have the opportunity to travel together with them to my country. It’s pretty great.”
The 28-year-old hadn’t visited this part of the country before this week but is enjoying the challenge of the golf course, which she believes suits her.
Belmati asked her fellow Moroccan professionals for some tips and tricks about the golf course which she is hoping to utilise this week.
She continued: “It’s very challenging. It’s a course where you have to place the ball, it’s not a course where you have to hit it long and I like these kinds of courses. They suit my game more.
“I asked the pros back home if they had been here, so I asked about the tips and tricks and they gave me a lot of strategies. It’s pretty cool to come to the area. I’ve never been here.
“I’ve already played the Terre Blanche Ladies Open on LETAS, I’m feeling a lot of improvement. It’s starting to show on my scores, I’m happy with that and I’m happy with the way I trained in in the off-season. I’m glad that it’s starting to show a bit. I’m happy to be here. I hope I’m going to perform really well, so the Moroccans are going to be proud.”
Belmati will tee it up in round one on Friday at 11.50 am (local time) alongside Denmark’s Amalie Leth-Nissen and England’s Gemma Clews.
For more information on the LET Access Series, visit letaccess.com and follow @LETAccess on Facebook, Instagram and X – #Access2LET.
