Late Mallorca surge earns Marc Warren DP World Tour card

Marc Warren is returning to the DP World Tour three years after losing his card, following a battling finish over the last eight holes of the HotelPlanner Tour grand final in Mallorca.

The 45-year-old Scot, the oldest player in the field, started the week 20th in the Road to Mallorca rankings and needed to reach the top 15. He slipped to 22nd at the turn but fought back over the back nine to finish joint fifth, seven shots behind winner Julien Sale, and 13th in the rankings.

Warren, who has four wins on the main tour and reached a highest world ranking of 48, told the Scotsman that he looked at the leaderboard and knew he needed a birdie at the 18th. Playing safe was not an option, he said, and it required three good shots, which he produced. He said seeing the putt drop, and the smiles of family and friends, made it all worthwhile. He added that the day before he had sensed there might come a point when he would have to press harder.

Sale, a 29-year-old Frenchman, won by four strokes and steps up to the main tour for the first time. He finished second in the rankings behind Hamish Brown, who held on to second place in the event to take the season-long title.

Brown, 27, qualified for the main tour for the first time in 2024. He was born in Aalborg, Denmark, where his father Marcus, a Perthshire native, moved in 1985 to become a club professional. Brown said the title gave him a lot of confidence.

He said that after a tough year on the main tour last year he felt he had not been far away, and that he is looking forward to next season because he now knows what to expect. He called the final day a proper grind and said Sale played extremely well to win.

Englishmen John Gough and Will Enefer finished 10th and 12th respectively in the rankings, also inside the top 15.

Sources: BBC Sport; the Scotsman.