RABAT, Morocco - Multiple LIV Golf League stars are in the field for International Series Morocco next week at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s testing Red Course.

Smash GC's Graeme McDowell, Stingers GC's Branden Grace, RangeGoats GC's Peter Uihlein and Legion XIII's Caleb Surratt are slated to compete, as well as multiple Asian Tour champions Scott Hend, Gaganjeet Bhullar and Jazz Janewattananond, the 2022 champion.

International Series Morocco is the third of ten elevated events on the Asian Tour calendar that offer a pathway onto the LIV Golf League, while also giving local and regional talent an opportunity to play elite-level golfers from around the world.

Ayoub Lguirati is part of a select group of home favorites flying the flag for the region and the local hero is hoping to reproduce his impressive form from two years ago when he tees it up on the next week. He is one of seven Moroccans in the world-class field.

In the 2022 edition, Lguirati was the sole Moroccan to make the cut, and he went on to impress with a superb T28 finish.

“The tournament is very important for us as local golfers, it is amazing to have this event in Morocco because it opens a lot of opportunities outside the country, especially on the Asian Tour and Asian Development Tour, " Lguirati said. "As players we get the opportunity to really learn every day from those around us. After my experience in 2022, and learning from the players in the field then, I am a lot better in my process. I am calm and more relaxed, I try to respect my strategy and play my game and be more patient.” 

The 29-year-old is joined in the field by local professionals Othman Raouzi and Ayoub Id-Omar, as well as promising amateurs Hugo Mazen Trommetter, Aissa Elkhadri, Adam Bresnu and Soufiane Dahmane.

UAE amateur Ahmad Skaik and American amateur Davis Bryant also received tournament invites from the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation (RMGF).

The Saudi trio of Othman Almulla, Saud Al Sharif and Faisal Salhab will also be representing the region.

All will be hoping to follow in Lguirati’s footsteps. His impressive finish in Rabat last time out paid major dividends, in the form of an invite to International Series Egypt in Cairo the following week.

Another impressive display, and a T37 in Cairo, then gave Lguirati a spot at the
season-ending BNI Indonesian Masters presented by Tunas Niaga Energi, where he once again made the cut and finished T38 in a star-studded field.

Lguirati, who currently plies his trade on the Asian Development Tour, is hoping that home advantage will count for something.

“We have some really talented players from Morocco and the region this year, a nice mix of professionals and amateurs, and this is a terrific opportunity for all, we have a good team of Moroccan players," Lguirati said. "Playing the Red Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam is a big advantage for the Moroccan players as it is a home course for us. It is a very difficult course, the greens especially are very tough, so it is good for us to have the course knowledge and home advantage.”

International Series Morocco takes place July 4-7 at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Red Course in Rabat. It is the third event on The International Series calendar and the eighth event of the Asian Tour season. 

Tickets for all four days are free, register at International Series Morocco Tickets.

COLLEGE GROVE, Tenn. – They touched it in Pinehurst, at the No. 2 course as well as the street where his rental house was located, the neighbors coming out to join in the late-night celebration.

They touched it in Manhattan during his New York City media blitz that included appearances on NBC’s Today Show as well as Jimmy Fallon’s Tonight Show.

And they’re touching it here at The Grove, site of this week’s LIV Golf Nashville. LIV Golf staffers feted him Tuesday at the clubhouse entrance, and media folks attending his press conference Wednesday all had the privilege. 

Everyone who wants to touch the U.S. Open trophy has had a chance. Bryson DeChambeau is not turning anybody away.

“Probably a couple thousand by now at least,” DeChambeau said when asked to estimate the number of people who have touched the trophy since his victory Sunday evening. “And it’s going to increase. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

The Crushers GC captain obviously has struck a feel-good nerve with his touch-the-trophy declaration following his tense one-shot win over Rory McIlroy. It’s the second U.S. Open victory of his career, but the first one came in 2020 during Covid, when nobody was touching anything that hadn’t first been sterilized.

DeChambeau’s willingness to engage with fans and invite them on his journey – whether from afar via his popular YouTube videos, or up close with constant high-fives between holes or simply displaying unfiltered emotions – have transformed him from nerdy Mad Scientist to endearing People’s Champion. 

“I’m humbled. Very humbled by it,” DeChambeau said.

During his 30-minute press conference Wednesday, with the U.S. Open trophy and the Jack Nicklaus medal nearby, DeChambeau talked about the response from golf fans in the 72 hours since his winning par putt dropped following an incredible 55-yard bunker shot on the 72nd hole. 

“When I was younger, I felt like I was called to do something in the game,” he explained. “Getting to this point in my life where I've had struggles, I've done some things I shouldn't have done, said some things I shouldn't have said, and messing up and learning from those mistakes and learning patience, resilience, determination, continuing to grow in that capacity – and then getting to a place where I finally get to showcase my true self and show others what this great game means to me. It's given me so much. It's time for me to give back.

“That's what I love most. That's why this was so important for everyone to touch the trophy. I wanted everybody to experience it because it wasn't just for me, it was for the turnaround, everyone looking at me going, wow, that person is different than what I thought. It was for them, those people that saw who I now am, who I am. That's what I wanted people to feel is that involvement, that appreciation from me saying thank you. It meant a lot.”

As he spoke, tears started to well up. Presented with numbers that reflect his increased popularity – 150,000 new followers across his social platforms, a 250% increase in Google search, significant demand for LIV Golf Nashville tickets and Crushers merchandise – DeChambeau could only shake his head and rub his eyes.

For some, they may just be data points. But for DeChambeau, who majored in physics at SMU and is at the cutting edge of analytics and technology to enhance his performance, numbers are his language. Numbers come with emotion. 

Consequently, emotions are driving the numbers. 

There was the 240% increase in average daily ticket sales for Nashville. Although the event was already headed towards becoming LIV Golf's highest-attended event in the U.S., DeChambeau's win sparked additional interest, with grounds passes sold out for Saturday.

There’s the 308% increase in LIV Golf merchandise sales in the last seven days, and a 985% increase in Crushers-specific items.

"Crushers GC merchandise has certainly become a hot seller with Bryson's U.S. Open win,” said Rita Kim, LIV Golf’s Senior Vice President, Retail & Merchandising. “After selling out of the most popular items, we've increased our stock this week to meet all the demand, both online and here this week in Nashville."

All that is on top of the viewing numbers for Sunday’s final round at Pinehurst. Not only was it the most-watched East Coast (non-prime time) U.S. Open since 2013, but the final round peak of 11.4 million viewers is the highest in nine years, no matter the location.

Numbers like those are indicative of DeChambeau's acceptance by a golfing world that hasn’t always appreciated or understood his quirkiness, or accepted his decision to join LIV Golf, even though he has thrived in its team environment.

“I haven’t truly cried yet, and I don’t want this to be the time I cry,” he said. “I’ve got to just say I’m humbled by all of it. I never would have thought that from a year-and-a-half ago, things would be where they’re at right now.”

Since receiving the U.S. Open trophy on the 18th green Sunday, the ensuing hours have been a whirlwind. There was a night to celebrate – he drank wine out of the trophy, followed by bashing glow-in-the-dark golf balls – then a day in New York followed by another flight Tuesday to Nashville. 

He's had precious little sleep – “12 hours, maybe,” he said. Much like he did inside the ropes at Pinehurst, De Chambeau has been riding the last 72 hours on the adrenaline fueled by fan support. 

At some point, it will hit him. Even the seemingly indefatigable DeChambeau has his limits. He’s hoping it happens before teeing off on the first hole Friday at The Grove.

“There’s going to be an adrenaline dump here in the next day probably, and I’ve got to get myself back up and ready for Friday,” he said. “I feel like I've done a pretty good job of controlling a lot of the uncontrollables that I didn't know was going to come from this, and we've just got to keep on the path and give the fans an exciting weekend. That's what I'm here for.”

Then, with his press conference over, DeChambeau started toward the exit, as the next item on his busy calendar awaited. Even so, it took several minutes to reach the door. Those who had just watched him hold back tears were now lined up to touch the trophy and perhaps grab a quick selfie. DeChambeau was only happy to oblige each extended hand.