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Jonny Leighfield

James Morrison Wins Rolex Grand Final And JC Ritchie Claims Road To Mallorca Title As Battle For DP World Tour Cards Reaches Incredible Conclusion

(Image credit: Getty Images)

James Morrison won the HotelPlanner Tour's Rolex Grand Final by three strokes to catapult himself up 30 places on the Road To Mallorca and earn promotion back to the DP World Tour.

The 40-year-old Englishman was well outside the top-20 before the closing event kicked off at Club de Golf Alcanada, but rounds of 71, 65, 67 and 70 in Mallorca all added up to 15-under and saw him end the campaign in sixth.

Morrison's remarkable achievement was made all the more extraordinary by the fact he had his 13-year-old son Finley as his caddie.

The two-time DP World Tour winner also later revealed that he had planned to retire from pro golf if he had not gained promotion back to the main European circuit this year.

However, a second victory of the season - following on from the Blot Play9 in June - allowed Morrison to change his plans and look forward to a DP World Tour return a year after losing his full-time status for the first time in 15 years.

Morrison was not the only man left smiling in Mallorca as JC Ritchie clinched the season-long title via a solo-seventh result.

The South African had already sealed promotion to the DP World Tour anyway as a result of his three wins this term, but he finished off the year in style with another top-10 that will give him excellent momentum heading into next term.

In addition, it was confirmed which 20 players had earned DP World Tour cards after finishing in the leading places on the Road To Mallorca.

(Image credit: Getty Images)

The battle for the last couple of spots was as intense as it was complicated down the back nine at Club de Golf Alcanada, with several players inside and then outside of the cut-off mark.

In the end, Sweden's Albin Bergstrom snatched the last spot after finishing T3rd in the Rolex Grand Final. It was his his best result of the year and saw him build on a T4th at the penultimate event.

Prior to the Hangzhou Open, Bergstrom was outside of the top-60 in the rankings and not even on track to make the Rolex Grand Final. Yet, two brilliant results has seen Bergstrom take his career to the next level in the blink of an eye.

Bergstrom's delight was Javon Rebula's pain, however, with the nephew of Ernie Els falling just 30 points short of his target. The South African was another to spend time inside the top-20 late on Sunday, only to fall away with a bogey at 17 and par at 18.

Among other pros to have gained promotion to the DP World Tour included Hugo Townsend - the son of two-time Ryder Cup player, Peter - the British trio of Euan Walker, Daniel Young and Joshua Berry plus Sebastian Garcia and Daniel Van Tonder.

ROLEX GRAND FINAL LEADERBOARD 2025

  • -15 James Morrison
  • -12 Stefano Mazzoli
  • -11 Daniel Van Tonder
  • -11 Euan Walker
  • -11 Albin Bergstrom
  • -10 Felix Mory
  • -9 JC Ritchie
  • -8 Joshua Berry
  • -8 Palmer Jackson
  • -8 Baard Skogen

Updates From...

WELCOME

Hello and welcome to Golf Monthly's coverage of the HotelPlanner Tour's Rolex Grand Final, which is taking place at Club de Golf Alcanada in Port d'Alcúdia, Mallorca, Spain.

There are only nine holes left to play for the final group this season, and it's James Morrison who is in prime position to not only win the closing tournament of the year but also grab one of the 15 remaining DP World Tour cards on offer.

Before a ball was struck, all 45 players in the field could still have achieved promotion, but many required their best week of the year to make it happen. One of those was Morrison, who is currently projected to leap 28 positions up to eighth if he holds on down the back nine.

Currently, the Englishman has a two-stroke lead after making bogey at the ninth, but his fate remains firmly in his own hands.

Meanwhile, Race To Mallorca leader JC Ritchie is inside the top-10 and doing exactly what he needs to do in order to claim the season-long prize.

Thank you for tuning in.

OFF THE PIN

There has been plenty of movement on the leaderboard in the last few moments, with Mazzoli Berry and Van Tonder among those in the top-10 to have switched places.

It looks as though Van Tonder will climb into a share of second in the Rolex Grand Final after his approach at the 10th slams down near the flag and clips off the stick. It comes to attention at kick-in range, giving the South African a simple birdie.

MORRISON STAYS TWO CLEAR

The Englishman takes care of the 10th in relatively simple fashion, finding the green in two and tapping in for par after failing with his mid-range birdie chance. No worries, though, as Morrison ticks another hole off.

ANXIOUS WAIT

Clement Charmasson has just finished the week four-under and in T22nd. However, more importantly, he is 19th in the Race To Mallorca and will face an anxious wait over the coming hour or two.

On a similar note, Lucas Nemecz completed his round earlier on and is just hoping South Africa's Jovan Rebula does not improve his position. Nemecz is currently 20th in the RTM...

WIND IS KICKING UP

The wind has arrived at Club de Golf Alcanada, just as the nerves are beginning to heighten once again. The sunshine remains out, though, and it's still a lovely day.

Felix Mory has moved within one stroke of Morrison and has an outside chance to pull alongside. Meanwhile Mazzoli has just lipped out to join Mory on 12-under.

PERFECT TOUCH

Morrison pulled his tee shot on the par-5 11th and was forced to lay up instead of going for the green. As a result, he had an awkward wedge shot remaining. But Morrison showed all of his quality to drop his golf ball within six feet of the hole.

MORY STUMBLES

On the 12th, Felix Mory faced a significantly turning right-to-left putt. He gave it too much respect, though, and the ball held up on the top level before even thinking about turning. From there, the Frenchman missed his par try and will drop a shot. Morrison now has a two-stroke lead again. It might be about to grow, too.

ALL CHANGE

In the pressure zone on the Race To Mallorca, Jovan Rebula has just made a potentially crucial birdie to move himself up into 20th on the season rankings. The South African is now two-under for the day and inside the top-10 in the Rolex Grand Final.

Lukas Nemecz is currently the unlucky man sat in 21st. He's finished, though, and there's nothing more he can do.

Meanwhile, Morrison - who has his son on the bag this week - rolls in an eight-foot birdie putt to re-establish his three-stroke advantage.

RICH PICKINGS

It might not be JC Ritchie's day in terms of winning a fourth HotelPlanner Tour event this term, but he's about to jump back into the top-10 thanks to a stunning approach at the par-5 13th.

The impending Race To Mallorca champion drew a long iron around the corner and dropped it into the heart of the green, a matter of inches away from the hole. Eagle incoming.

RUNNING AWAY

James Morrison is absolutely flying now. The leader rolls in a sweeping right-to-left putt for birdie at the par-4 12th and moves on to 15-under. He gives his son Finley a hug after that one drops. They know their moment is edging ever closer.

GOING DOWN TO THE WIRE

As it stands, Nemecz is down to 22nd in the RTM. Per Langfors is 21st and Jovan Rebula is 20th.

As luck would have it, Langfors and Rebula are on the same score (-8) and in the same group. They're effectively going head-to-head over the closing four holes to see which one of them earns a DP World Tour card. Imagine the pressure...

TRADING PLACES

Just after Rebula missed a birdie putt on the 15th, Langfors moves in and holes a close-range birdie try of his own. That has seen the pair switch places in the RTM, with the Swede now 20th and South Africa's Rebula in 21st.

NOT DONE YET

Albin Bergstrom needs something of a minor miracle to make his dreams come true, but the Swede is trying his absolute best to make it happen. He still needs plenty to go his way, but Bergstrom has just tumbled home a monster birdie putt to move into a tie for eighth.

He's projected to end 24th in the RTM. While he might not earn a guaranteed card, finishing between 21st and 30th is still worth shooting for as some tournaments will offer spots to those players next term.

LANGFORS IN POSITION

The projected rankings keep switching Langfors and Rebula in 20th position. Even the actions of other players are having an effect on the pair's fate.

After Rebula misses a birdie try at the 16th, Langfors must make a tough par putt to stay in front. He just about catches the right edge of the hole, and Rebula now has only two holes to make something happen. It's so incredibly tight for the final spot!

MORRISON THREE-PUTT

A three-putt at the par-5 13th will be a crushing disappointment for Morrison, especially as he had an eagle opportunity from pin-high earlier on. Thankfully, he walks away with a par and his four-shot lead in tact, but the 40-year-old will know that could have been the clinching moment.

SPLITTING HAIRS

According to the TV broadcast, there is just a single point between Javon Rebula and Per Langfors on the Race To Mallorca at the moment. Imagine playing for a whole year and you miss out on promotion by a single point...

Langfors is one stroke in front of his rival, and he will need to keep it that way to gain that DP World Tour card. Two holes to play.

THROWING DARTS

At the top of the leaderboard, Morrison throws an absolute dart into the par-3 14th. Coming off that annoying three-putt, the Englishman will fancy he can erase that frustration with a birdie here.

HOPES OVER?

Oh no! At the par-3 17th, Rebula misses left with his par putt from six feet and he will drop outside of the top-10 in the Rolex Grand Final.

But wait... Langfors also misses for par! Langfors falls to 22nd and Rebula is 21st in the RTM. Nemecz is back up to 20th.

They have one final hole to save their dreams...

MORRISON IS CHAMPION ELECT

The Englishman taps in for birdie and opens up a five-stroke lead over the field. Forget about him, he's gone and away.

The story is on 18. Rebula v Langfors (v Nemecz) for the final DP World Tour card... Here we go!

ADVANTAGE REBULA

On the 18th, Langfors took driver on the 381-yard par-4 hole but has slightly pulled his effort into the rough. Following quickly, Rebula takes a long iron and drills his golf ball into the heart of the fairway.

The South African should be favorite to make birdie now, but it depends on the Swede's lie.

OUTSIDE CHANCE

Rebula takes an 8-iron into the last and slides one towards the flag on the right side, but it bites into the surface and rips back to a distance which very few would fancy to make. Nevertheless, he has a chance.

Langfors might be done. From the rough, the Swede can only hack his approach into one of the greenside bunkers. Unless he can hole a miracle shot, Langfors will come up painfully short.

NO CIGAR

Langfors is unable to hole out from 60 yards or so, and he will finish bogey-bogey to see his hopes of promotion absolutely crushed at the death. Still, there will be a handful of DP World Tour starts on offer

PUTT FOR PROMOTION

Here we go then. Rebula has one shot to earn promotion. He's got to be 25 feet away. This is tough.

HEARTBREAK

Oohh, it was such a good effort from Rebula, but the putt doesn't quite turn in time and it will be a closing par which sees him finish 21st in the Race To Mallorca. He will rue that bogey at the 17th, and maybe one or two others as well.

DRAMATIC TWIST

Oh my goodness. What has happened here? The projected rankings have Rebula in 20th on the Race To Mallorca still because of Langfors' bogey at the 18th. Because Langfors dropped down another spot, that cost Lukas Nemcz a handful of points as well. Cruel for Nemecz and Langfors, but sheer delight (possibly) for Rebula.

BERGSTROM HAS A SAY

We thought Rebula might have been in, but there are still a couple of holes to complete and Albin Bergstrom has a chance to ruin the party if he shares second or takes it alone.

He is currently there and has a half-birdie chance at the par-3 17th.

ONE-STROKE PENALTY

Felix Mory has just been handed a one-stroke penalty for slow play! What is going on at the end of the Rolex Grand Final? He's dropped down into a share of fifth, and that also helps Bergstrom's cause as well.

MAZZOLI INTO SOLO SECOND

After Bergstrom watches his mid-range birdie try scuttle on past at the par-3 17th, Mazzoli rolls his home to take solo second.

A par for the Swede and a birdie for the Italian means Bergstrom is projected 20th now, down from 19th. As long as no one passes him, Bergstrom should take the 20th DP World Tour card. A birdie would seal it for him, while a par might leave the door open...

JC RITCHIE WINS RACE TO MALLORCA

Ritchie tidies up on the 18th to sign for a closing 71 and wrap up his latest top-10. With a handsome lead coming into this week, the South African did exactly what he needed to do to win the Race To Mallorca and seal his promotion with a lovely bow on top. Congratulations to Ritchie!

FOUR-STROKE LEAD

James Morrison cleans up at the 17th with a well-dispatched four-footer for par. The Englishman can now thoroughly enjoy his walk down the 18th alongside his 13-year-old son Finley knowing he is about to win the Rolex Grand Final and return to the DP World Tour.

BERGSTROM ENDS T3RD

Despite a stunning bunker shot which offered a glimpse of a birdie try, Bergstrom ends with a par. He remains 20th in the RTM, but it's not over yet.

If either Walker or Van Tonder makes birdie at the last, it might be the cruellest of late twists for the 20-year-old Swede. And Euan Walker might be about to make it happen via a superb approach from the right rough. The Scot has maybe eight feet left for birdie - it's quite a straight putt, too.

FINAL GROUP ON 18

The final group is coming up the last now without much personal stress on their shoulders. Morrison leads by four and is on the front edge, while Van Tonder is in the same place in T3rd.

Walker is close, as I just mentioned, and Bergstrom will be watching the latter very closely.

BERGSTROM IS FINAL MAN IN

Neither Van Tonder or Walker make birdie at the last, and that should mean that Bergstrom takes the 20th and final DP World Tour card in 2026!

JAMES MORRISON WINS ROLEX GRAND FINAL

It will be a closing bogey for Morrison, but it matters not as the Englishman posts 15-under and wins the Rolex Grand Final by three strokes!

THE WINNING MOMENT

Watch as James Morrison tidies up for a closing bogey to win the Rolex Grand Final by three strokes before celebrating with his family. Great scenes!

FLEETWOOD SENDS CONGRATULATIONS

In the aftermath of Morrison's triumph, Tommy Fleetwood sent his congratulations via a story post on his Instagram...

(Image credit: Tommy Fleetwood Instagram)

SAY 'CHEESE'

Plenty of reasons to smile for these two. James Morrison and JC Ritchie will both be heading to the DP World Tour next season after the Englishman's win this week and Ritchie's season hat-trick.

(Image credit: Getty Images)
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