Morocco’s Ines Laklalech on her meteoric rise in professional golf

In this episode of the Abtal podcast, host Reem Abulleil is joined by Moroccan golfer Ines Laklalech, who is on the brink of securing her place at her first Olympic Games this summer.   Laklalech has made history as the first Moroccan, North African or Arab woman to win a tournament on the Ladies European Tour, a remarkable achievement she accomplished at the Lacoste Ladies Open in Deauville during her rookie season in 2022.   Following this victory, Laklalech secured her card for the Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA), marking another milestone as the first Moroccan, North African or Arab golfer to do so.   In this conversation, she shares her Olympic dreams, the story of how she started playing golf and the reasons behind her three-year hiatus from the sport, during which she completed her undergraduate degree.   Laklalech also talks about what brought her back to the golf course, her rapid ascent from amateur to professional title winner, and the emotional highs and lows she experiences during nearly every tournament.   You can listen to all previous episodes of Abtal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all major podcasting platforms, or watch the full interviews on The National's YouTube channel.