James Morrison clinched his first title in over a decade with a playoff victory at the Blot Play9 held at Golf Bluegreen de Pléneuf Val André. The English golfer carded an even-par 70 in the final round to tie Ireland’s Max Kennedy at six-under. Morrison then secured the win with a steady par on the first playoff hole, claiming his maiden HotelPlanner Tour title.
A two-time DP World Tour champion, Morrison returned to the HotelPlanner Tour this season after losing his full tour status. With past wins at the 2015 Open de España and 2010 Madeira Islands Open, the 40-year-old’s triumph in France marks a powerful comeback.
“I feel amazing and incredibly proud,” said Morrison. “I didn’t have my best game today, but I fought hard. The course was firm and the wind tricky—you had to stay focused until the end.”
With this win, Morrison vaults to 19th in the Road to Mallorca Rankings, placing him in strong contention for a DP World Tour promotion, which is awarded to the top 20 players at season’s end.
“The golf wasn’t the issue—it was mental,” Morrison added. “The last few years have been tough on me and my family. This victory means the world.”
Daniel Young of Scotland nearly stole the show with a spectacular 10-under-par 60, tying the course record set earlier in the week by Kennedy, and finishing third at five-under. John Gough fired a 63 to take fourth, while Oihan Guillamoundeguy (France) and Matthis Besard (Belgium) shared fifth.
About the HotelPlanner Tour
The HotelPlanner Tour, formerly the Challenge Tour, had its first official season in 1989, and has developed into a proven training ground, where the champions-in-waiting compete across the globe for a place on the DP World Tour.
Many players who have progressed from the HotelPlanner Tour have gone on to become Major Champions – including Justin Rose, Matt Fitzpatrick and Brooks Koepka – and Ryder Cup stars, such as Tommy Fleetwood, Robert MacIntyre, Nicolai Højgaard and Tyrrell Hatton.
Using its vast international schedule and relationships with golf federations and PGAs, the HotelPlanner Tour is widely accessible to professionals from across the globe, giving players from developing golfing nations the opportunity to test their skill amongst some of the most talented up and coming stars in world golf.
HotelPlanner, a leading travel technology company, has been the title partner of the HotelPlanner Tour since the start of the 2025 season.
About the European Tour group
The European Tour group administers the DP World Tour, the HotelPlanner Tour, the Legends Tour and the G4D Tour and, as the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe LLP, stages golf’s greatest team contest, the Ryder Cup, in partnership with the PGA of America.
The European Tour group has Strategic Partnerships with the PGA TOUR, the Sunshine Tour, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association (CGA), the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), and the TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India. These partnerships provide global pathways for players from across the world to compete internationally on the DP World Tour, the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group which was established in 1972, as well as the HotelPlanner Tour.
