Morrison Claims Second Career Title


James Morrison closed with a steady 3-under 69 to notch his second European Tour title. The winner of the 2010 Madeira Island Open in Portugal now can place the trophy from the Open de España in his display case.

The 30-year-old Morrison posted three birdies and the rest pars on another blustery day at Real Club de Golf El Prat near Barcelona to finish at 10-under 278, four strokes clear of defending champion, Spain's Miguel Angel Jiménez, who carded a 67, Italy's Francesco Molinari (71), Spaniard Edouard Espana (69) and David Howell.

Howell and Morrison began Sunday tied for the lead at 7-under 209 but Howell, a 39-year-old with five victories in Europe, couldn't keep pace with fellow Brit Morrison as he posted a 73 to drop into a share of second place.

After securing his first trip to the winner's circle in half a decade, Morrison said he planned to celebrate. "It feels amazing," he told the European Tour's website. "It's been five years and I've had a lot of chances between then and now to win and haven't done it but I drew on all my experience and got over the line.

"The game plan was to stick to my process - I know it's a cliché but it's true. In years past when I haven't done it it's been too much looking at leaderboards and outside influences, and today, even down to that last putt, I wanted to hole that putt badly and stuck to my process all day long and executed, which feels amazing.

"You try and enjoy it now; I've been off the booze this week for the first time in ages, so I'm very thirsty!"

Jiménez almost got his second hole-in-one of the tournament. The 51-year-old from Malaga, who aced the par-3 eighth on Friday - his second of the year and the ninth in his illustrious European Tour career - nearly duplicated the feat on the same hole Sunday, with the ball stopping just a foot away.

Earlier on the par-4 fifth, the 21-time-winner holed his approach on the fifth for an eagle, eliciting his trademark jig. Jiménez also carded five birdies and two bogeys.

Alone in sixth was Emiliano Grillo, while tied for seventh were two Spaniards, Jose Manual Lara and Jorge Campillo. Australia's Wade Ormsby posted the low round of the day, a 7-under 65, to rise into a tie for ninth with five others.

For complete scoring details, visit http://www.europeantour.com/europeantour/season=2015/tournamentid=2015036/leaderboard/index.html?showLeaderboard=Y.