LET – Lalla Aicha tour school extended through 2018

Ladies European Tour

May 21, 2016: The Ladies European Tour is delighted to announce that its Lalla Aicha Tour School, organised under the High Patronage of His Majesty King Mohammed VI and named in honour of Her Royal Highness the Late Princess Lalla Aicha of Morocco, will be extended for a further two years until at least 2018.

The tournament has been played in Morocco since 2012 and extended its global brand presence ahead of the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games by adding an Asian and South American pre-qualifier in 2015.

Following its success, there will once again be four pre-qualifying tournaments in 2016, including two in Morocco, one in Asia and one in Colombia.

Pre Qualifiers “A” and “B” will be played at Mohammedia in Morocco on 16-19 November and 9-12 December respectively. Pre Qualifier “C” will be played in Asia on 19-22 October and Pre Qualifier “D” will return to the prestigious La Pradera de Potosi Golf Club in La Calera on 23-26 November.

A Final Qualifier will be played on the Amelkis and Samanah Golf Courses in Marrakech, Morocco, on 17 to 21 December with the final round again being played at Samanah Golf Course. Information regarding entries will be available at ladieseuropeantour.com from mid-June.

Ladies European Tour CEO Ivan Khodabakhsh said: “On behalf of the Ladies European Tour, I would like to express our gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI and His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, chairman of the of the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association, with whom we share a vision for the development of golf. We are pleased to be bringing the passion and excitement of the LET to the next generation of professional players through Lalla Aicha Tour School, which is part of the LET’s strategy to create a clear development pathway from the amateur to the professional game.”

On behalf of the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association, Deputy Vice Chairman Mustapha Zine commented: “The renewal of the agreement for the next two years, 2017 and 2018, is the result of a strong and sustainable partnership between the Hassan II Golf Trophy Association (ATH), Chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, and the Ladies European Tour (LET) who are working together to achieve the successful staging of the Qualifying School, and who are sharing the same vision of golf development. The great consecration is to see, year after year, the success of each edition and the results of the rookies who qualified in Lalla Aicha Tour School and who are making a good professional career.”

La Pradera de Potosi Event Director, Sebastian Pinzón, said: “Following the success of last year’s Pre-Qualifier at La Pradera de Potosi in Colombia, once again we are delighted to welcome the future stars of women’s golf. It’s particularly important in this Olympic year that Latin American golfers have the opportunity to achieve their potential and this initiative sends a very positive message about the strength and capabilities of our country when it comes to staging world class golf events.”

The Ladies European Tour Qualifying School was renamed Lalla Aicha Tour School in honour of Her Royal Highness Late Princess Lalla Aicha, sister of His Majesty Late King Hassan II and aunt of His Majesty King Mohammed VI. Her Royal Highness strongly contributed to the development of golf in Morocco and was an active supporter of the feminist movement in the country. She was the first Arab woman to be appointed ambassador in London from 1965 to 1969, and in Rome from 1970 to 1973. She participated in the Hassan II Golf Trophy and the Lalla Meryem Golf Cup and played 18 holes every day until her death in September 2011.

The Hassan II Golf Trophy Association, created in September 2002 and Chaired by His Royal Highness Prince Moulay Rachid, organises national and international golf tournaments including the Hassan II Golf Trophy, the Lalla Meryem Cup, the Lalla Aicha Tour School and the Atlas Pro Tour. The Association also coordinates various activities aiming at promoting golf in Morocco and positioning the country as a leading golf destination.