VIVA ESPANA
Historical First Double Victory in Morocco, Royal Dar Es Salam Golf Courses, Rabat On April 29, 2019 European Tour’s 46th Trophy Hassan II, Ladies European Tour’s 25th Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (Rouge and Blue Courses), Rabat, Morocco saw Jorge Campillo and Nuria Iturrios victorious marking the first time two nationals have won major European titles at the same time, same venue. Story by Susanne Kemper • Images courtesy of Tristan Jones, Ladies European Tour, ATH, European PGA Tour, Hassan Trophy II
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is Royal Highness Morocco’s Prince Moulay Rachid, who awarded the trophies, is passionate about golf, supporting it throughout the country and internationally for men and women.
did a great job. With her win, a beautiful jeweled evening purse, 67,500 Euro check; she vaults 29 places up to ninth in European Solheim Cup points list. Plus, she makes history being part of the first Spanish duo victory.
Spain’s Jorge Campillo’s first win after 11 years on tour and 23-year-old Mallorcan Nuria Iturrios’ superb second win at the 450,000 Euro 46th Lalla Meryem Cup over the revamped Blue Course (par-73) three years after her first victory as a rookie. With a closing 70, she won by seven shots beating Swede Lina Boqvist, who had been tied for the lead teeing off Sunday morning with Nuria at -10, and Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall. On the front the lead changed, but Lina’s double bogey on the 10th put Nuria four up. Sadly, Lina dropped a few more coming in to tie for second while Iturrios finished at -13. She was the only player to play all rounds under par on the tough Blue Course.
A new course record -64 was set by Lalla Meyrem’s defending champion Sweden’s Jenny Haglund. Her -9 was brilliant including a hole-in-one on the sixth (173 yds) tying for eighth place with last year’s runner up Australia’s Sarah Kemp. Jenny said: “I got off to a good start and that helps. Today was a good day so I’m happy and I’ll take away more good memories from Morocco. It felt like I could make birdie on every hole and it’s not often that happens. Holing out for a hole in one (no special prize) on top of that was really nice.” It was Jenny’s 5th hole in one! At 2019’s Australian Open, she had her fourth winning a Genesis car which she sold. Jenny arrived from Hawaii’s LPGA Lotte Championship jetlagged - not an easy start to the week as defending champion with lots of protocol activities. She loved the changes she discovered on the “Blue” making it a bit wider from the tee with the greens being more undulated.
Happy Nuria shared, “It’s amazing for me to win again here. I’m so happy to be here and I hope to keep it going.” Nuria tied for second at 2019 Australian Ladies Open, Bonville Golf Resort earlier this year. Her coach, Jose Luis Palacios, also caddied for her in her first W, too. She told him on the 18th, “We are getting so close,”. She was nervous but thought they
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Ladies GOLF Summer/Autumn 2019/20 • ISSUE 26
Lalla Meyrem Cup’s 2018 runner-up Sarah Kemp, on Tour for over a decade, shared her hopes on Tuesday. She hired Abdul, her favored local caddy from 2018 with his great local www.ladiesgolfmagazine.com.au
