Morrison cruises to Open de España victory

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James Morrison produced a brilliant final round display to claim a comprehensive four shot victory at the Open de España.
The 30 year old Chertsey, Surrey-born player, pictured with the trophy by courtesy of Getty Images(c), whose previous European Tour title came in Madeira five years ago, had shared the lead with compatriot David Howell at the start of the day after a third round 68 in fast and windy conditions at Real Club de Golf El Prat.
With the breeze up again in the final round, Morrison’s flawless closing 69 blew the field away as he led throughout.
After trading four consecutive pars with Howell at the start of the day, Morrison chipped in from behind the green for birdie at the fifth.
Another gain from 12 feet at the ninth extended his advantage, and although the likes of Edouard Espana, Howell, Francesco Molinari and defending champion Miguel Angel Jiménez all threatened to put him under pressure, a run of eight straight pars on the back nine saw Morrison reach the 18th with a three-shot lead.
He finished in style with a birdie from ten feet to earn the biggest prize of his career and €250,000, with victory taking him from 296th in the Official World Golf Ranking to just outside the top 160 and completing a return to form after he had to regain his card at Qualifying School in 2013.
While Morrison was a worthy winner, Jiménez – who aced the eighth on Friday – again provided the day's highlights.
The 51 year old holed his approach for eagle at the fifth – prompting an increasingly familiar celebratory jig – and was a foot away from a second hole-in-one at the eighth.
A round of 67 gave him a share of second alongside Howell, Molinari, and halfway leader Espana of France.

Key Quotes
JAMES MORRISON
“It feels amazing… five years since my first win, a lot of chances in between. Today I just drew on my experience and got over the line.
"My game plan was to stick to my process. I know it’s really a cliché but it’s true. All my coaches have been really big on sticking to my process, just dealing with what comes in in front of me. In years past when I haven’t done it it’s been too much looking at leader boards and outside influences.
"Today, I stuck to my process all day long and executed it; I ground every single shot and I tried my hardest. The only time I looked at the leader board was on 17. I knew I had a three shot lead but I was desperate to make a birdie on the last… and I did it.
“Now comes the emotional bit: my wife and my little boy, and my dad and my mum… I couldn’t have done this without them. And obviously all my team and my caddie Martin. It’s all down to them, not me; it’s been a real team effort.
“Winning the Open de España means a lot to me. Every year we come and play here and it’s always one of the best weeks of the year. It’s always on a great golf course, great crowds. I lost it once on a play-off and now I’ve won it, it will be dear to my heart now forever.”
SCOTSWATCH. Richie Ramsay was the highest-finishing Scot in a share of 15th place on 286 with ever-imprving rounds of 74, 73, 72 and 67 - pity there hadn't been a fifth round! Scott Jamieson finished T31 on 289 after closing with a 64, the lowest round of the tournament. He had earlier scored 72, 75 and 78.
Give Paul Lawrie his due for blanking out the horrors of a third-round 79 and shooting a two-under 70, which matched his opening round. Round 2 at a 73. Paul finished T49 on four-over 292.

FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
278 J Morrison  (Eng) 70 71 68 69
282 D Howell (Eng) 71 69 69 73, M Jiménez (Esp) 72 71 72 67, E Espana (Fra) 68 69 76 69, F Molinari (Ita) 72 69 70 71
283 E Grillo (Arg) 70 70 72 71
284 J Lara (Esp) 70 76 72 66, J Campillo (Esp) 74 70 70 70
285 M Kieffer (Ger) 73 70 76 66, P Edberg (Swe) 70 73 75 67, D Fichardt (RSA) 66 73 73 73, E De La Riva  (Esp) 66 77 74 68, W Ormsby (Aus) 77 71 72 65, S Kjeldsen (Den) 70 76 70 69
286 G Bourdy (Fra) 69 73 75 69, J Carlsson (Swe) 70 76 72 68, B An (SKor) 72 70 72 72, R Ramsay  (Sco) 74 73 72 67, B Evans  (Eng) 73 73 71 69, D Horsey (Eng) 69 77 71 69, M Korhonen (Fin) 71 73 73 69
287 R Gonzalez (Arg) 69 69 76 73, S Garcia  (Esp) 75 72 67 73, T Aiken (RSA) 74 71 72 70, T Fisher Jnr (RSA) 65 78 73 71, M Fitzpatrick  (Eng) 72 71 73 71, G Havret  (Fra) 71 71 74 71,
288 Y Yang (SKor) 73 71 72 72, M Ford (Eng) 67 76 72 73, R Rock (Eng) 70 76 73 69,
289 M Hoey  (Nir) 71 68 75 75, S Jamieson  (Sco) 72 75 78 64
290 T Fleetwood  (Eng) 66 77 77 70, K Broberg (Swe) 75 70 74 71, R Fisher (Eng) 73 74 75 68, J Edfors (Swe) 71 75 74 70, G Storm  (Eng) 75 73 74 68, T Pieters  (Bel) 70 75 76 69, P Maddy (Eng) 70 70 77 73, J Singh (Ind) 74 70 74 72
291 C Del Moral (Esp) 72 73 77 69, B Hebert  (Fra) 71 70 73 77, M Lorenzo-Vera  (Fra) 71 76 73 71, A Cañizares  (Esp) 73 74 72 72, E Pepperell (Eng) 75 73 75 68, M Lundberg (Swe) 72 76 72 71, M Nixon (Eng) 72 74 72 73, B Virto Astudillo (Esp) 73 72 75 71
 292 P Larrazábal (Esp) 71 73 73 75, P Lawrie (Sco) 70 73 79 70, F Aguilar (Chi) 72 74 74 72, C Wood  (Eng) 76 72 71 73, C Paisley  (Eng) 75 73 73 71, R Wattel  (Fra) 70 73 79 70, I Garrido (Esp) 71 76 76 69
 293 J Parry (Eng) 68 73 74 78, A Noren  (Swe) 75 71 76 71, S Hansen (Den) 68 75 76 74, M Carlsson  (Swe) 73 73 74 73, A Dodt (Aus) 71 77 71 74
 294 R Finch  (Eng) 72 72 75 75, A Tadini (Ita) 70 76 75 73, M Manassero (Ita) 73 72 77 72, A Velasco (Esp) 73 75 73 73, R Green (Aus) 72 75 77 70, M Fraser (Aus) 73 73 72 76
 295 M Crespi  (Ita) 77 70 75 73
 296 A Otaegui  (Esp) 68 75 81 72
 297 P Uihlein  (USA) 72 73 78 74
 299 J Palmer (Eng) 71 70 77 81
 300 C Pigem (Esp) 77 70 78 75
 303 T Murray (Eng) 74 74 80 75

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