A minute’s silence was held at the conclusion of the Trophee Hassan II in memory of the three-time Major Champion Billy Casper, a former winner of the tournament and a personal friend of the late King Hassan II of Morocco.
Casper, who died peacefully at his home in Utah last month at the age of 83, was one of several professionals invited to travel to Morocco to play in the late 1960s before the Hassan II Trophy – subsequently renamed the Trophee Hassan II - began in 1971.
He won the Hassan II Trophy twice in its early years, taking the title in 1973 and 1975, and struck a strong personal friendship with King Hassan II, with the pair playing more than 150 rounds of golf together, which led to Casper being honoured by the King for services to golf.
The former United States Ryder Cup player and captain was instrumental in the tournament becoming a European Tour event in 2010 and spoke movingly at the official tournament dinner that year.
HRH Prince Moulay Rachid led the tribute at the prize giving ceremony before handing over the trophy - a decorative dagger – to winner Richie Ramsay of Scotland.
Players, officials and spectators also observed the mark of respect to the two-time US Open champion and 1970 Masters Tournament winner, whose legacy will be forever remember in Morocco.
