Malak Bouraeda, great hope of Moroccan golf willing to challenge the best at the US Open

Golfer Malak Bouraeda is the first Moroccan to qualify for the prestigious American Open. This feat, which crowns no less than 18 years of diligent practice by the young woman, barely 21 years old, already consolidates her as the new hope of golf in Morocco.

Malak will challenge the best players in the world during the big tournament scheduled for June 2-5 at the Southern Pines course in North Carolina. Malak, who agreed to return to her journey during this MAP interview, explains that she owes her discovery of golf to her parents, who were passionate about the sport long before she was born.

“My parents, each with different sports affinities, my father being an accomplished tennis and soccer player and my mother a huge softball and basketball fan, had set a goal early in their relationship to discover a new sport. Together and both had opted for golf, “she says.

“I always accompanied them to the golf course. One day my father hit an extra ball thinking that I would not listen to him. Surprise, I moved onto the green, picked up the ball and put it in the hole,” she continued. “Obviously I don’t remember that day, but my dad told me so much about it that I can visualize it,” added the young athlete, a recent graduate of the University of Colorado, where she is returning for a master’s degree in corporate communication.

When asked when he decided to devote himself fully to golf, Malak, who enjoys photography, travel and writing, said the sport has always been an integral part of his life. “J’ai grandi en pratiquant plusieurs activités sportives, mais un stade est venu où je me retrouvais uniquement dans le golf et c’est à ce moment-la que j’ai decidé de me consacrer pleinement à ce sport”, a fait savoir Girl.

“I started at the age of 3, never looking back,” he said. When asked about her source of inspiration, the Moroccan-American confided that she owes much to her late mother, whom she tragically lost during her childhood. “I lost my mother when I was 10 years old. She was a fighter and to this day the strength of her continues to inspire and push me forward,” she said.

Regarding Morocco and its place in his life as a golfer in the United States, Malak said that “it is always a great honor to wear the colors of my country, and even more so when it comes to a prestigious championship.” “I am very excited to have the opportunity to represent Morocco and I look forward to being an inspiration to the next generation of golfers,” she added.

Regarding motivation, Malak said that he firmly believes in his ability to achieve the goals he sets for himself. “I’m confident in my abilities, it’s one of my sources of motivation,” he said. “I have been injured on occasion and it is precisely rethinking those moments of vulnerability that motivate me not only to progress, but also to avoid past mistakes,” said the golfer. “There will always be difficult moments, but with a positive spirit we can overcome anything,” adds the iron-minded athlete who can count on the support of his father Zakaria at all times, both on and off the greens. , especially during competitions.

On equal pay in the world of sports, which is currently making headlines in the United States, the Moroccan-American athlete says that it is an issue that worries her a lot. “I was very happy to see the culmination of the long fight American soccer players have waged for equal pay in sports,” she said. “It was recently announced that major women’s tournaments will also see an increase in the purse for future events, starting with this year’s US Open,” the athlete said.

“I’m happy to see things moving. That said, I hope these reforms continue to include all sporting events and not just major tournaments,” he said. Speaking about sports personalities that he finds inspiring, Malak revealed that he admires athletes who show great determination. He cites Tiger Woods and Nelly Korda as such in the world of golf. “Outside of golf, my role models are Kylian Mbappé, Achraf Hakimi and Serena Williams,” added the golfer, who does not hide her love for animals and admits not being separated from her pet dog.