The Canadian Stephen Ames, with a royal 67 (-6), came out on top in the first round of the Hassan II Trophy on the red course of the Dar Es Salam golf course in Rabat. Sluman, Lawrie, Broadhurst and Quigley are tied for second at three strokes (-3).

Hassan II Trophy: Ames super leader

Hassan II Golf Trophy (1st day): Stephen Ames finishes first ©DR

History is all over the aisles of Golf Royal Dar Es Salam for the second leg of the 2023 PGA Tour Champions season. Stunning and gratifying to see the top of the top seniors in the world of golf, all these names who have lit up three or four decades, rub shoulders with the young women of the Ladies European Tour. The first on the Red course, the seconds on the Blue course. Coincidence: at the end of the first round, played this Thursday, February 9 for some as for some, the two leaders signed the same card of 67, that is to say -6 under par, which is 73 of two sides of the center fairway of the golf course.

Like the Swedish Linnea Strom (26 years old) for girls, Stephen Ames (58 years old) dominated the debates by taking the provisional lead at -6, with for its part three strokes ahead of a quartet of second ties: the Americans Jeff Sluman (65 years) and Brett Quigley (53), English Paul broadhurst (57 years old) and the Scottish Paul Lawrie (54 years old). Is it worth remembering that the latter had won the British Open -The Open Championship - during the 1999 edition at Carnoustie, in front of a certain Jean van de Velde in an epic finale?

In the field of 66 players this week in Rabat, there are almost only palmares as long as the arm, where victories on the PGA Tour or on the European circuit are weighed down by titles in the Majors. When at the driving range, on the same line, we see the cigar of Miguel Angel Jiménez (59 years old), the "serious" silhouette and the white mane of Colin Montgomerie (59), the ascetic eagle profile of Bernhard Longer (65 years old), the famous swing in 8 of Jim furyk (52 years old), whole pages of the recent legend of golf are re-opening.

And there, on the putting green, which will suspend its routine and its concentration to salute, here Retief Goosen (54 years old). The South African from Pietersburg, double winner of the US Open (2001, 2004) and double winner of the European Order of Merit (2001, 2002) has heard of French. And France has been talking to him for a long time, he who was twice winner of the French Open (1997, 1999)… and again twice winner of the Lancôme Trophy (2000, 2003)!

A handshake of Legends: Retief Goosen the South African and Jean Garaïalde the Frenchman ©Photo Nathalie Vion

Who goes there behind the ropes? Quite simply Jean Garaialde (88 years old): 84 victories in the major tournaments of his time, including the Moroccan Open in Casablanca in 1969, 17 French championship titles... And without doubt one of the players in the world who best knows the genesis of the golf in Morocco. He who was the privileged playing partner of the King Hassan II and who still enjoys affectionate respect today, here in Rabat, will be one of the guests of King Mohammed VI and Prince Moulay Rachid, this Friday at the official dinner.
Warm handshake between Monsieur Jean and Mister Retief. The history of transgenerational golf live and in all simplicity... “Are you going to win here? » request Jean Garaialde. “Maybe” smiles Retief Goosen, before mentioning the extreme difficulty of the greens of the Red course which have just been (too?) severely redesigned according to the opinion of several players.

Stephen Ames, during the first round of this Thursday, seems to have been the best to solve the infernal enigma of putting in this new era Hassan II Trophy. The Canadian from Vancouver, British Columbia, already has two victories on the PGA Tour Champions, in 2017 and 2020. A senior circuit that motivates him since he participated, in 2013, in Calgary hosting one of the rare stages outside the United States. Stage renewed in this 2023 season, where Moroccan Rabat joins the capital of Alberta on the program!

Nathalie Vion

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Hassan II Trophy: Double, Royal and Eternal