Ben Crenshaw Sees Something Special In Texas Golf Phenom, 6-Foot-9 Tommy Morrison

Tommy Morrison is accustomed to standing out in a crowd. At 6-9, the former Texas Longhorns golfer is impossible to miss. But his height isn't the reason one of golf's greatest champions believes he's destined for something special.

Morrison, 22, received the 2026 Korn Ferry Tour Rookie of the Year Award Wednesday at the Austin Championship, with two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw helping celebrate a breakthrough season that has put the Dallas native on the fast track to PGA Tour stardom.

MORE: Dan Hicks, Iconic Voice Of NBC Golf And Olympics, Dies At 64

For Morrison, the moment carried special meaning.

He first met Crenshaw as a 15-year-old junior golfer, long before he fully understood the Hall of Famer's accomplishments.

Seven years later, the Texas golf legend was recognizing him as one of professional golf's most promising young talents.

"This guy is very special, very special," Crenshaw said. "He's obviously tall, he can see everything that's going on down here. But he's got an exceptional touch, a well-rounded game."

Morrison's numbers certainly support that assessment.

After leaving the University of Texas in June, Morrison immediately made an impression on the Korn Ferry Tour.

He finished inside the top 10 in his first five professional starts, including a victory at the Evans Scholars Invitational.

In just 11 tournaments, Morrison produced five top-10 finishes and a remarkable 67.31 scoring average, the best on the circuit and a single-season Korn Ferry Tour record among players completing at least 40 rounds.

He finished 10th in the season-long standings, earning his PGA Tour card for 2027.

Not bad for someone who was competing in college golf only five months ago.

His amateur resume was already impressive. Morrison became the first American to win the European Amateur Championship in 2024 and represented the United States in its 2025 Walker Cup victory.

Now he's returning to familiar territory for another milestone.

Morrison is playing this week's Austin Championship at Omni Barton Creek Resort's Fazio Canyons Course on a sponsor exemption, making his first PGA Tour appearance as a professional.

He estimates he's played the course between 30 and 40 times during his Longhorns career, even shooting a personal-best 64 on the layout.

That experience could prove valuable against an established PGA Tour field.

Morrison also has a familiar face alongside him. Dallas-area professional Austin Smotherman, who practiced with Morrison at Trinity Forest, is paired with him for the opening two rounds.

Crenshaw believes Morrison's next challenge is learning how to compete when his best golf isn't available.

"Making a good score when you're not playing well is a big part of it," Crenshaw said.

For Morrison, the expectations have changed dramatically.

MORE: Texas Golf Star Farah O'Keefe Makes Future Plans Clear

He's no longer simply the unusually tall kid with a promising golf swing.

He's a PGA Tour-bound professional with a record-setting rookie season behind him, and one of golf's most respected voices already singing his praises.