James Morrison was convinced that this week’s Rolex Grand Final on the HotelPlanner Tour was going to be his last event as a professional golfer. Now after securing a fairytale victory at Club de Golf Alcanada he is set for an immediate return to the DP World Tour, twelve months after losing his card.
The 40-year-old entered the week 36th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings and needed a top-4 finish to earn promotion and give his career a stay of execution. He did so in style, winning by three shots on fifteen-under.
Morrison will spend the winter preparing for a return to Europe’s top level, a scenario that wasn’t in his wildest dreams.
“When I said that this would be my last event that was going to be my last event. This has completely messed it up!” he laughed while holding back the tears.
“I haven’t got a tour bag, haven’t got a caddie. Massive thanks to the guys at Nike Golf, Julie and Robin, they’ve been with me for fifteen years and been there since the start I really appreciate it.”
Since clinching his second DP World Tour win at the 2015 Spanish Open, it’s been a turbulent decade for the Englishman who has often contemplated packing away the clubs.
But after losing his card he decided that this year would be make or break on the HotelPlanner Tour and he applied himself properly, winning for the first time in a decade in France. He still had a huge job to do this week but he used all of his experience to get over the line.
“I’m glad it’s over with. Played nicely all week, didn’t play as well today but dug into my memory bank of wins on the DP World Tour.
“I stayed calm and stayed with it. The swing on the last I couldn’t feel my arms it went so far right, but five or six on the last I couldn’t care less.”
Also earning cards and joining Morrison at the promotion party are rankings winner JC Ritchie, David Law, Maximilian Steinlechner, Renato Paratore, Oihan Guillamoundeguy, Filippo Celli, Stefano Mazzoli, Daniel Van Tonder, Sebastian Garcia, Daniel Young, Felix Mory, Joshua Berry, Euan Walker, Quim Vidal, Hugo Townsend, Tobias Jonsson, Rocco Repetto Taylor, Clement Charmasson and Albin Bergstrom.
Liam Nolan missed out on a card after finishing the week in a share of 43rd place on six-over. The Galway man has decided not to go to next week’s Final Stage of Q-School and will instead return in January with a full HotelPlanner Tour card.
