Moroccan Ines Laklalech has become the first golfer from North Africa to qualify for the LPGA Tour, after being inspired by the coach behind her country’s World Cup in Qatar.
The 25-year-old Laklalech earned a spot on the first round of women’s golf despite coming off her worst round on the final day of the United States qualifier.
The Casablanca resident shot a par 73 to one on the final round at Highland Oaks in Dothan, Alabama on Sunday.
Still, she finished 19-under at the end of the tournament in eight innings and tied for 12th – good enough to claim a much-coveted spot on next season’s tour.
“I’m a big fan of the Moroccan national team so I’m super, super happy,” said Laklalech. “It definitely gave me an extra boost on the course.”
The Atlas Lions became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup, and Laklalech used Moroccan coach Walid Regragui’s positive attitude when speaking about his team, as he was on the ground.
“I’ve been following what the national coach says about the team very closely because it’s history,” she said.
“His words really gave me confidence that anything is possible, because that’s their mindset right now. I think it’s all connected and linked because I watched videos of the press conferences every days.”
On Saturday, Laklalech took a big step toward earning her tour card when she birdied four holes in the final four holes and posted her best round of the event, a par 66 six-under, just like the footballers in the country were. upsetting Portugal 1-0 in the quarter-finals.
Success on the world stage may be a new experience for Morocco’s men’s soccer team, but Laklalech is no stranger to making history.
In September, she won the Lacoste Ladies Open de France on the Ladies European Tour (LET) to become the first Moroccan, Arab and North African winner of this tour.
With four more top-10 finishes on the LET this season, her success in qualifying for women’s golf’s most prestigious circuit is the latest chapter in a banner year for the sport in North Africa.
In July, Morocco reached the final of the Women’s African Cup of Nations in Rabat, where they lost 2-1 against South Africa, and Olympic champion Soufiane El Bakkali won gold in the steeplechase at the World Championships in Athletics in the United States.
Meanwhile, Tunisian tennis player Ons Jabeur became the first North African to reach the singles final of a Grand Slam tournament at Wimbledon in July – before repeating the feat in impressive fashion a few months later at the US Open.
The 28-year-old finished runner-up twice but ended the season with the WTA’s Karen Krantzcke Sportsmanship Award, voted on by her peers and announced on Sunday, for “showing dignified conduct. ‘a professional sports figure and have observed the rules of fair play’.
