Two-time DP World Tour winner James Morrison revealed in 2019 that he had considered giving up golf entirely, admitting he was struggling to cope with the pressures of the professional game.
Today, that seemed a distant memory, with the 40-year-old Englishman turning to embrace his son, Finley, on the 18th green at the Club de Golf Alcanada in Mallorca after tapping in a putt to win the Hotel Planner Tour Grand Final and secure his return to DP World Tour after a year-long absence.
Even ahead of this weekend’s Grand Final, Morrison was weighing up the possibility that this could be his last-ever professional tournament if he couldn’t secure his DP World Tour card for 2026. But it was a prospect that he seemed at peace with.
‘I actually have got no clue to be honest,’ Morrison told Sky Sports, welling up when asked what this victory meant to him.
‘When I said this was going to be my last event, that was going to be my last event, one hundred per cent.
‘This has completely messed it up.’
James Morrison (pictured) claimed victory at the Hotel Planner Tour Grand Final on Sunday
The 40-year-old Englishman had actually claimed that he could give up professional golf entirely back in 2019
It will be a special weekend for Morrison for many reasons, with the 40-year-old’s son, Finley, joining him as his caddie this week.
The pair strode through the field, with Morrison going on to finish three shots clear of his nearest challenger, Stefano Mazzoli, and top the Hotel Planner Tour’s season-ending showpiece at 15-under-par.
His first-place finish means he climbs a whopping 30 places to end his season sixth in the Race to Mallorca standings and become one of 20 golfers to qualify for the DP World Tour.
It comes after Morrison broke a 20-year wait for a win on the professional tours in June, after securing victory at the Blot Play9 in France.
‘I’m glad it’s over with – put it that way,’ he said, adding that he couldn’t even feel his arms on the tee box at the 18th, ultimately going down for a bogey on the last.
Morrison will now return to the DP World Tour next season following a year-long hiatus, something that he had not foreseen at the beginning of the week, revealing that he doesn’t even have a caddie or a bag.
‘I’ve got no clue. I haven’t got a tour bag. I haven’t got a caddie,’ he said in disbelief.
Reflecting on what it was like having his son on the bag with him, he added: ‘He’s [Finley’s] got a half-past six alarm for school tomorrow morning…’
Heartwarming scenes erupted on the 18th green on Sunday as Morrison and his son and caddie Finley (left and right) celebrated the epic victory
Morrison tried to hold back the tears as he lifted the lid on what it was like to be returning to the DP World Tour, having previously admitted that this could be his last professional tournament
It was a nervy start for Morrison who on Sunday posted a bogey on the second before recovering with birdies on the fifth and seventh holes
‘It’s amazing. I love him. He did so good,’ Morrison said.
The two-time DP World Tour winner got off to a slow start on day one in Mallorca, carding a one-under par 71. He’d follow that up with a 67 on day two, before opening up a three-shot lead heading into the final round.
And he endured a nervy opening to his final round on Sunday, with Morrison posting a bogey on the second hole before recovering with birdies on the fifth and seventh.
He’d make gains on the 11th and 12th holes, with the 2015 Open de Espana champion draining a sweeping long putt from right-to-left on the latter to post back-to-back birdies.
High on momentum, Morrison moved five shots clear of the field with another birdie on the 14th hole, and it was at this point that he seemed destined to secure his card for next year.
‘I’ve played nicely all week. Didn’t play as well today but kind of dug into my memory bank from my wins on the DP World Tour.
‘The wind blowing really played into my hands a little bit because I knew the harder that it got, the more I could get away from the field a little bit. had a three-putt par at the first but stayed calm.
‘Swinging on the last I couldn’t feel my arms. Five or six on the last, I couldn’t care. A win is a win.
Behind him, Italian star Stefano Mazzoli continued to push cutting the deficit to three shots, wrapping up his weekend 12-under par.
Gains would be made again on the 11th and 12th holes, with Morrison draining a sweeping long putt from right-to-left on the latter to post back-to-back birdies
Morrison couldn’t comprehend the magnitude of the victory saying: ‘I’m glad it’s over with – put it that way’
Four other Brits would qualify for the DP World Tour this weekend, with Scottish stars David Law, Daniel Young and Euan Walker all winning cards for next season, while Joshua Berry joining Morrison as the second Englishman to secure a berth on the sister tour for next season.
Morrison’s story is an inspiring tale. The Surrey-born golfer turned pro in 2006 and went on to play 15 successive seasons on the DP World Tour before losing his card in 2024, missing 14 cuts throughout that season.
However, back in 2019, he revealed in an interview with Sky Sports that issues in his personal life and his obligations to the tour were starting to take their toll.
‘It’s my 10th year out here in a row now and this has been not about golf, it’s about everything else,’ He told Sky Sports back in 2019.
‘Tour life’s getting a chore, travelling’s getting hard.
‘I’ve got a little boy (Finley) at home, my wife’s having some health problems and had surgery two days ago, so there’s stuff at home going on that’s taken my attention away from the game.
‘I really questioned whether that was it. Scotland [July’s Scottish Open] was close to being my last-ever event but that’s just the way it goes, that’s life and you’ve got to deal with it.’
Now, things will be much different for the 40-year-old, who admitted he couldn’t comprehend the magnitude of his win.
‘I’m glad it’s over with – put it that way,’ he said.
