Player Profile - Matteo Manassero

Born in 1993 in the town of Negrar near the beautiful city of Verona in northern Italy, Manassero showed a talent for golf from an early age. Fostering his talent while completing school, the young Italian has already made his mark on the amateur circuit. In 2009 he won the British Amateur Championship at the age of only sixteen, weathering heavy competition and defeating Sam Hutsby of the United Kingdom to lift the trophy. At the end of 2009, Manassero took first place on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, a position that he had held for an impressive eighteen weeks.

This year has seen Matteo Manassero flourish as a professional golfer. In April he became the youngest player since 1967 to make the cut at the Masters Tournament in Augusta, Georgia – beating the long-standing record previously held by Bobby Cole. After this record-breaking performance, the Italian officially announced that he was turning professional, and made his debut at the BMW Italian Open. At the weekend, Manassero won his first-ever European Tour event when he beat Spain’s Ignacio Garrido by a commanding four strokes to win the Castello Masters championship. At seventeen, he is the youngest winner on the European tour, ever.

Manassero’s youth belies the formidable golfing talent and technique that he has already demonstrated in just a few months of professional playing. He is the youngest of Italy’s ‘new generation’ of golfing stars which includes the dynamic brothers Edoardo and Francisco Molinari, both members of Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup team. With golf becoming increasingly popular in Italy, young talents like the Molinaris and Manassero are being nurtured at the many beautiful golf courses that grace the country’s scenic landscape. With the energy of youth and a remarkable maturity and focus, Matteo Manassero is set to make his mark on the professional golf world. Fans can look forward to many more exciting performances from this talented young player.