Saudi Ladies International: Maha Haddioui welcomes Saudi Arabia 'progress'

Morocco's Maha Haddioui has played over 100 tournaments on the Ladies' European Tour

The first Arab professional on the Ladies' European Tour says Saudi Arabia is making "improvements" as it prepares to host its first women's golf events.

The Saudi Ladies International begins this week, with a separate team event set to take place from 17 November.

Professional women's golf has never taken place before in the kingdom, which has faced widespread criticism for its human rights record.

"To me it's huge improvement," said Moroccan professional Maha Haddioui.

"To be part of something so huge, a moment in history, to me it's a new Saudi when it comes to a lot of things and to be part of that is really big.

"For Saudi to put up such money two tournaments in a row is a huge statement to close that gap between men's and women's golf."

A prize find of $1m (£750,000) is in place for the this week's singles tournament at Royal Greens Golf Club.

Saudi Arabia, which recently announced it will host its first Formula 1 Grand Prix in 2021, has come under scrutiny in recent years for its staging of major sporting events, with human rights organisations such as Amnesty International saying the country is seeking to 'sportswash' its reputation.

Amnesty's head of campaigns has said sporting fixtures such as F1 events offer Saudi Arabia "a means of rebranding their severely tarnished reputation".

The Saudi Ladies International was due to take place in March until the coronavirus pandemic forced a postponement. At the time England's Meghan MacLaren had said she would boycott the event for the 'sportswashing' reasons mentioned by Amnesty and others.

Until 2018 women were not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia and, although a number of reforms have taken place in recent years, one activist who campaigned for the right for women to drive is currently refusing to eat in protest at the conditions in detention. Her family allege she has been offered freedom if she agrees to say she has not been tortured.

"No matter where you go you can look at flaws or what's improving," said Haddioui. "By looking at what's improving, this is where you keep improving. To me the glass is half full; Saudi is making huge improvements."

The 32-year-old, who joined the Ladies' European Tour as a professional in 2012, will be joined in the field for this week's event by the likes of England's Charley Hull and Georgia Hall.

She says professional sport is not yet viewed as a viable career path for women in the region but feels the staging of landmark events will offer aspiring sportswomen a vision of what they could achieve.

"It will motivate a lot of young girls to take up the game," she added. "I think in the coming years there will be a lot more Arab female professional golfers.

"The game changed my life. I travel the world doing what I love. I wish the same for every woman in the Arab world - to pursue these opportunities."