13 hours ago
Morrison feels ‘amazing' after battling mental struggles to end 10-year drought in France
James Morrison secured a memorable victory at the €300,000 Blot Play9 at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André on the HotelPlanner Tour, marking his first tournament win in over a decade.
The Englishman, a two-time DP World Tour winner, posted a level-par 70 in the final round to finish six-under-par for the tournament, tied with Irish rising star Max Kennedy. Morrison held his nerve in a playoff, parring the first extra hole to claim his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title.
This win marks a long-awaited return to the winner's circle, with Morrison's previous victories coming at the 2015 Open de España and the 2010 Madeira Islands Open BPI – Portugal. He takes home the €48,000 top prize and, perhaps more importantly, a renewed sense of belief.
'I feel amazing right now and I'm very proud,' said Morrison. 'I didn't play my best today, but I hung in there the best I could. I battled all the way through and hit some good shots at the right time.'
The final day posed plenty of challenges, with swirling winds and firm conditions testing the field on the tricky coastal layout. 'You can't relax until the very end,' Morrison added. 'Max Kennedy played some great golf, and my journey to this point has been very different to his - I know his time will come.'
Perseverance Rewarded
Morrison's perseverance paid off. Having lost his DP World Tour card last year, the Englishman returned to the HotelPlanner Tour with quiet determination. His victory now propels him 153 places up the Road to Mallorca Rankings to 19th. With the top 20 at the season's end earning promotion, Morrison is suddenly well positioned for a return to the big stage.
'This win puts me in great stead for the rest of the season," he said. "The golf hasn't been the problem, it's been a mental battle these past few years. It's been so hard for me and my family, and I'm just proud to have made it back.'
Morrison has been open about those mental health struggles during the week, and this breakthrough win may well give him the boost needed to carry that momentum through the rest of 2025.
Elsewhere, Scotland's Daniel Young produced a stunning final-round 60 to equal the course record and finish one shot behind the leaders in solo third. Remarkably, Young admitted he wasn't even thinking about a sub-60 score, having forgotten the course was a par 70.
John Gough of England fired a 63 to finish fourth at four-under, with Frenchman Oihan Guillamoundeguy and Belgian Matthis Besard tied for fifth, one stroke further back.
The Road to Mallorca remains in France next week, with the Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge at Golf PGA France du Vaudreuil from June 26–29. Italy's Renato Paratore, with his back-to-back wins in the UAE earlier this season, continues to lead the standings.
J. Morrison (Eng): 64, 66, 74, 70 – 274
M. Kennedy (Ire): 60, 76, 68, 70 – 274
D. Young (Sco): 69, 71, 75, 60 – 275
J. Gough (Eng): 67, 71, 75, 63 – 276
