Armed with local knowledge, Moroccan golfers have signed up in big numbers, determined to make home advantage count when they compete in next week’s Royal D’Anfa Open, the opening event on the 2014 MENA Golf Tour schedule in the Moroccan port city of Mohammedia.
Since the inception of the tour in 2011, Moroccans have featured prominently in all events, underlining their numero uno status in the Arab world with a string of top-10 finishes and two seconds against quality international field.
Though they have yet to break through for the first win on tour, two of their promising players – Ahmed Marjan and Mustapha El Maouas – have done the country proud by winning the amateur Order of Merit titles, a credible achievement which prompted them to turn pro this season.
MENA Tour players warming up for the start of the 2014 season.
With a strong home contingent comprising 35 players, including 19 amateurs, joining the fray for the Royal D’Anfa Open, the Moroccans are upbeat about their chances of a producing a home winner this time around.
Spearheading the home challenge in the professional category will be the experienced duo of Faycal Serghini and Younes El Hassani along with rising star Ahmed Reda Rhazali while Ayoub Lguirati, Amine El Malki and Mohamed Khalali will be the players to watch in the amateur division.
“The MENA Golf Tour has again created a tremendous buzz in Morocco and everybody is really excited at the prospect of playing against a top-class field,” said El Hassani, who finished runner-up to England’s Zane Scotland at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Open in Rabat last year.
“There are a lot of guys who feel they have the game and the attitude to win the tour events and they are all chomping at the bit. The introduction of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation awards for the region’s players is an added bonus to aim for.
“The beauty of this tour is that it has created a great competitive environment for players, especially from the region, to showcase their skills. People from other countries now know we are playing golf and we are good at it.
“Obviously, we are pretty familiar with conditions here, but still you have to execute your shots and play as well as you can since the standard of golf is very high. Hopefully, we can sneak up on a few top places in the opening two events to seize the early advantage,” he added.
Mohamed Juma Buamaim, chairman of the tour, lauded Royal Moroccan Golf Federation for their full support of the tour, saying: “The fact that so many golfers from Morocco, especially amateurs, have registered for this year’s Tour clearly reflects on their enthusiasm and commitment for the game. I wish them the very best and hope they will do their country proud.
“For the overall development of golf, it is important we have significant participation from all countries in the region. The introduction of the Shaikh Maktoum Golf Foundation award, which carries $52,000 in cash and gift certificates, is a step to intensify competition among the region’s talent.”
Held under the auspices of the Shaikh Maktom Golf Foundation, the tour, which is supported by Omega, boasts a combined prize fund of $525,000 in addition to offering attractive incentives to the MENA region nationals.
