Open de Portugal at Royal Óbidos

James Morrison is changed man since last we spoke back in February in South Africa. 7 months on, he’s got a win under his belt, and is sitting pretty in the rankings. Meanwhile, it’s JC Ritchie who bags his 6th title on the HotelPlanner Tour and vaults to 2nd on the Road To Mallorca.

Heat. Heat. [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] The Hotel Planetour has made its way from Poland to the stunning coastal setting of Val Obidos, a location famed for its history and nearby surfing alongside a golfing haven that stages the open of Portugal at Royal Obidos Spar and Golf Resort. It’s the sixth and final occasion the venue will play host to the tournament as it welcomes the players for the 25th Hotel Planetour event of the year. Just over an hour north of Lisbon, the Sevi Balisteros design course at Royal Obados boasts a 7,200yard layout with numerous water hazards. And with the usual winds blowing in off the Atlantic Ocean, a stern test awaited the players. One of those hoping to overcome the challenge was Englishman James Morrison. Earlier this season, James was our featured player at the NT data proam and was at a crossroads in his career, returning to the Hotel Planetour for the first time since 2009 and focused on bouncing back onto the biggest stage. I think the two concerns are probably my attitude and my iron play. Really feels like walking over eggshells. All on me or on my shoulders that maybe um I’m lacking that burning desire to succeed inside. Maybe. I don’t know. And it’s easy when you when you can see a light at the end of the tunnel, but um it’s very hard to see that right now. So, the one place I want to be is not here. But that’s part of the job. And you got to deal with it and get on with it. [Music] I was in a pretty dark place the end of last year and the start of the year. And when we did our player profile in South Africa, I shouldn’t have been there. wasn’t ready mentally to be there which then affected my game and and it was a pretty pretty tough time then and it’s taken a lot of digging deep and a lot of soulsearching and and actually you’ve gone full circle now I feel like I’m in a in a great place and whatever whatever happens happens just lost in every aspect really I mean kind of going away I didn’t see it for what it was didn’t see it for the challenge that was in front of me and to pass that challenge and to get through that test. And I’ve I’ve changed coaches. I’ve changed all my equipment. I’ve spoken deeply with my family. I’ve spoken with my friends and kind of it’s all part of professional sport at the highest level. And the mental game is another side of the game. That was the main driving force for my game to deteriorate. And you kind of you get lost in it all. Just came to a head and I couldn’t deal with it anymore. And there’s a lot of unhappy guys out on tour who never deal with it. and I and we never will deal with it. And that was kind of the turning point really. It was ether it was either do or die so to speak. And I’d lost me as a person and that kind of happy golucky kind of persona. And I didn’t like that and and it was affecting everything and and we we drew a line in the sand so to speak as it was sitting in the sand now. Pardon the pun. But we have to be about golf again. And I drove over my little mini over to France, got the tunnel over and I was listening to music and I was and for the first time ever my head went up and I could see the horizon. I could see I could see the trees. I could see what was going on and it was kind of and it was a real turning point when I got to Plof and and I knew when I got there, this is my course. This is my time to kind of really start to play my my own game again. And after day two, I just almost knew I was going to win. It felt just felt right. Morrison with the second shot down wind, nearly holding it, but he would tap in for a first birdie of the day to go to seven under par. But my mentality got me through through over the fish line. It proved to me that that my game is driven around not being perfect. And and I did that and it was a difficult golf course. And I was more proud of the fact how I dealt with my emotions throughout the round and how they came to the end and through the playoff and that’s what I’m was most proud of really because where I’d been before that it was very hard to get into that position and and I’ve been there and done I did it. He played this beauty to leave himself a good chance for the par four. I got back to just being about the golf. I had to do it for myself more than anything. That’s kind of what I’ve got out of it is we get so wrapped up in our golf bubble and I’ve made some great friends through the tour and I’m in a better spot with my life and I’m eternally grateful for what journey I’ve been on really. And Morrison converted the sand save for a first win in over a decade and after more than two years without a top 10 and a tough start on his return to the hotel plan. It could prove to be a careers saving victory. [Music] Obviously, I would love to get my card back and that’s obviously the ultimate goal and and obviously four events if I get in the grand final which hopefully I will do. That’s five and obviously the last three are big points. I’m not miles behind. It’s quite a bunch I think in that in that part of the order of merit, but also it needs some big weights cuz the points to top heavy. The hotel plan is a is a way better tour now than it was 15 16 years ago when I played it. We get looked after great and and it’s been a really really good surprise and I was dreading it. But actually I’ve had a great time. Really really enjoyed it. And and a big shout out to David Law cuz David Law me and him have spent some time together this year and and he dragged me along with him at the same time. We lost our car together last year and and I’ve tried to follow him and be dragged along by Davey and you’re leading the auto merit now and and his hard work has has paid off and he deserved every single minute of his success this year and and I’ve tried to kind of follow that a little bit and trying to kind of keep up with momentum and he’s been great for me to kind of have a friend like that who’s who’s in the same position and but he’s gone right I’m getting back. [Music] Golf’s got a great way of of when you think you’ve made it to the top, it just brings you all the way back down to the bottom of the rope again. You got to start climbing again and and that’s on a daily basis and I’ve tried to really enjoy that challenge and and embrace the challenge of playing golf again. And that’s kind of what’s got me through this year. Round one in Portugal saw James tea off alongside his good friend David Law and home favorite Pedro Figeredo. And our featured player got off to the perfect start. A chip in birdie at his first hole, the par4 10th. Morrison was playing well, but the putter wasn’t joining in. A number of missed opportunities saw the Englishman record six consecutive pars before bogis at the par 417th and par 51 18th saw him make the turn in 37. [Music] Disaster struck on the par 4 second hole, making a double bogey six before a bounceback birdie on the par three third hole looked to have reinstated some momentum. [Music] Then this excellent chip to save par at the par 3 eighth hole showed his class. Spurred on, Morrison would birdie the par4 9th hole. Coming in in 35 for a one over par round of 72. So work to be done after a mixed bag on day one. Good and bad. I started off lovely actually. The first chipped in at the first or 10th hole and lovely all the way around the middle bit there. The front of the back n my front nine and hold nothing which is unlike my game. nominated the other way round and bit of a wobble halfway through the middle of the round and couple of water balls and and kind of that put Paige to the low round and after that you’re on the back foot a little bit and just trying to kind of see what you can do before the clubhouse hits and give tomorrow make tomorrow a little bit easier than it than it can be. [Music] Enjoying a more successful start was Italy’s Renato Paroreé. Sixth on the road to Morca rankings and seeking a third title of the season with it instant elevation to golf’s top table on the DP world tour. A six under pass 65 saw Renato and a group won off top position held by Lars Van Male heading into the second round. Friday morning had seen thick fog delay proceedings at Royal Obidos with the majority of the field having their tea times pushed back by almost two hours. When the skies cleared, Morrison Law and Figuredo would eventually tee off at 1503 from the first hole. [Music] Morrison started well. This approach at the long par4 second hole setting up a chance for birdie. His playing partner and road to Morca number one David Law hold this birdie putt. And after many missed opportunities on Thursday, Morrison joined him in the red for the day. Morrison was looking confident and why wouldn’t he? With his short game taking advantage of the par five fifth with another deaf chip leading to a second birdie of the day. Abogi at the par 38 would follow and he would go out in 34. But with his newfound sense of positivity, James pushed on. Three birdies on the bounds from the 11th hole, including this from 20 ft for birdie at the 13th saw Morrison jumped two three under for the tournament and well within the cut line. At the top of the leaderboard, Morrison’s good friend and playing partner David Law was chasing down a third win of the season and with it automatic promotion to the DP World Tour. This T-shot at the par 315th set up another birdie to get to nine under. A clean card and a joint low round of the day. One off the lead. Morrison responded with a touch of class of his own. With this difficult up and down to save par and maintain momentum. With the light fading fast and the hooter already blown, he would charge down the final hole and had this chance for birdie on the 18th. It slipped by, but a round of 68 saw the Englishman rise 50 places up the leaderboard to two under for the tournament. Eight shots behind Quinn Vidal as the weather affected second round was suspended. Played better today. Yeah, better yesterday. kept the score going quite nicely and good pass saves in the middle of that back n there that kept it going and but that’s what I’ve I’m good at and I’ve done that for so many years now that that’s kind of come second nature but a battle away and then finished in the dark there quite nicely. Exactly. Yeah, I mean that’s the same chat we had today about how I’ve been bad in my career of not doing that and I feel like I’ve done that today. Got through the line. The scoring hasn’t gone very far away. Was it minus eight is only six behind third or fourth. So get out tomorrow have a good score. You never know. Coming up, we reflect on five years of the open to Portugal at Royal Obidos, and we’ll discover who added their name to that list of winners. We’ll see you after the break. [Music] Welcome back to the Hotel Planet and we’re in Portugal for event 25 as the season ending grand final fast approaches. At the halfway stage at Royal Obidos, it was Quinn Vidal at the top of the leaderboard, one shot clear of our current road to Morca number one, David Law, who would be heading into the weekend with a third win of the season in his sight. And with it, of course, the tantalizing prospect of that automatic promotion to the DP World Tour. To find out who were the movers and shakers on Saturday, let’s join our commentator, Kit Alexander. Lucas Nech lied 38th in the Road to Morca ranking, so he needed a big week. And this birdie put him into a tie for the lead at the first. The Austrian added four more red numbers and one bogey to shoot a 67. David Law started the day one behind Vidal at the top. And this superb birdie putt swinging from the left at the first coupled with a Vidal Bogey meant a twoshot swing. Lo bogey the second and Birdie five. The 25-year-old Vidal hit this absolutely lovely T-OT at the par 33. He couldn’t convert the putt though and that somewhat summed up a disappointing day for the overnight leader. Plus one to drop back to tied ninth. Law was going along nicely. This chip his third shot at the par five seventh. That set up birdie number three of the day for him and he made it three in a row by picking up shots at the eighth and ninth to move to 13 under park. challenged a Kadith winner. Roco Rapetto Taylor had the low round of the day with a magnificent 63. This excellent third from the bunker on 18 led to his ninth birdie and moved him into tied second. Lvan May had an up and down round. Four bogeies, four birdies, and an eagle here at the 11th after this simply stunning second shot. And that all added up to a 69 as he ended the day in tied fifth on minus 10. David Law had reeled off eight pars in a row on the back nine and this was his third shot into the par five closing hole. It set up an excellent look for Birdie. Unfortunately though, the Scott wasn’t able to hold it, so he tapped this one in for par to complete a 67 that put him in pole position going into the last round. Roco Repetto Taylor and Lucas Nech were sat a shot behind the leader at the end of day three. Another Scott, Jack Macdonald, produced a 65 to move two shots behind. And round two leader Quinn Vidal fell back to nine under, but the man they were all chasing was David Law. It was a really good day. I mean, I got off to quite a fast start. Um, hold a nice putt in the first and then I finished the finished the front nine with with a few birdies. So, the turn at four under was was amazing. You know, it was great. I would have liked to picked up a couple coming in, but I’m in a good spot. I played I played well. You know, obviously I feel like I felt pressure out there today. I’ll feel, you know, a lot of pressure out there tomorrow. So, it’s nice to sort of get the the nerves going again today and um hopefully again tomorrow. And yeah, we’ll see where we’re at. Royal Obidos has proved a staunch supporter of Portuguese golf down the years, having played host to the tournament since 2020. But this year’s edition saw the venue stage the event for the final time before it moves to pastures new next year. It’s a wonderful opportunity for us not only in terms of tourism. I think for Obidus area and for for the local community is great. You know, it’s such a beautiful course. This lovely weather we have always the food is always good. But also for the players, you know, I think we have a squad, the Portuguese squad. We have a good players. They they want to have a opport they need opportunities to play. We get about 42 or 43 wild cards from hotel planner challenge tour which is also very important for them for their careers to start to play to play in front of these guys with top top class players. So it’s it’s very important for us to to have the the tournament here. It’s a special venue. I think it’s a bit different from what we’ve been playing. Uh I think all the the professionals love it. Uh the weather is is usually very good here. The course is always in great conditions. I think it’s one of the best events of the year and I I love it here. I feel at home. I’m really close. So uh it’s just a very special event. We are very happy to and we are very thank thankful to the to the owners of Oidos because it was fantastic this these last five years. Winners Higo, Schneider, Pino, Penge, and Oshrine all enjoyed their moments in the Portuguese Sun in the previous five years. But now to the business end of proceedings at this year’s event as we wondered who would add their name to the role of honor in Portugal. Calling the action from the final round. Let’s return to Kit. Vidal got his own back on the first hole with this excellent birdie just dropping in on the right hand side and he would pick up two more shots in his first eight holes to move to minus 12 and thrust himself into contention for a second win of the season. JC Richie started the day three shots behind, but he moved a step closer with this game at the opening hole and the South African added a second birdie of the day at the fifth. Overnight leader David Law bogeied the fourth, but he got it straight back with this birdie put at five. He turned in one under par, but a couple of bogeies in the middle of the back n halted his progress. [Music] Lucas Nech recovered from a drop at four with three birdies in a row from the fifth, including this tickly one at the sit, but three bogeies on his back nine would see him finish tied fifth. Vidal completed the outward half in just 31 strokes with this birdie at the ninth, taking him into a tie for the lead. He added a fifth red number of the day at the 11th. Richie made a par at the ninth. After this approach, flew a little long and didn’t quite spin back enough. The 31year-old birdied the 12th, but he was back to 12 under par with a bogey at 15. Julian Sal displayed his short game skills to save par at the 14th. The Frenchman notched five birdies in a 68 that carried him to third place, his third top 10 of the season. Vidal stuttered on the way home as he dropped shots at the 14th and 17th to slip back to 12 under. He held this for par at the last and a closing 68. [Music] But Richie took control of the tournament with birdies at 16 and 17. gave him a one-shot lead as he played the last. He opted to lay up at the par five before playing this superb third shot. Richie hold the putt to shoot 66 and post 15 under par. David Law could have forced a playoff with an eagle, but his birdie meant Richie was a Hotel Planetour champion for the second time this year and the sixth time in total. Confirmation that L ended the week in solo second with Frenchman Julian Saul finishing in third. Spain’s Vidal was fourth. There was a four-way tie for fifth. Our featured player, James Morrison, tied 21st in the end, but the main celebrations were reserved for a South African. Unbelievable. Um, I couldn’t be more chuffed. The game’s been good all season, and um, I’ve always loved coming to Portugal. I’ve always enjoyed staying here, eating here, and I’ve always felt good, and I really wanted to win this tournament in the start of the week, and I’m really glad that it’s now confirmed and solidified, and I can actually try and focus on trying to finish well for to try and finish sort of in the top three or top five or even win the order of merit um to get into a better position for next year. With just four events of the season to go, David Law still tops the rankings with this week’s winner JC Richie hunting him down as he climbs into second now. Bidal’s high finish returns him to the top 10. Further down, Repetto Taylor jumps five spot into 12th whilst after finishing in ninth spot at Royal Obados, Stfano Matsolei has sneaked inside the top 20. And with that, we part ways with Portugal, where it was all smiles for our South African winner, JC Richie. Up next, the class of 2025 head just north of Rome for the Italian Challenge Open. The final counting event before the top 68 head to China. So, join us next time as the pursuit of promotion to the DP World Tour continues. [Music]