Manaessro Ends 3,942 days DP World Tour Winless Dought Winning Storm Affected Jonsson Workwear

2 months ago by Comments Off on Manaessro Ends 3,942 days DP World Tour Winless Dought Winning Storm Affected Jonsson Workwear

Matteo Manassero brilliantly ended a 3,942 days DP World Tour winless drought and climbing back to game’s highest level in capturing the co-sanctiond Jonsson Workwear Open in Jobugh.

Manassero claimed an emotional fifth Tour victory but only after play was halted for nearly two hours due to lightning, strong winds and heavy rain and with the the Italian and six others still to complete their rounds on the host Glendower course in the north-eastern suburbs of the South African capital.

The champion Italian had birdied 15 and 16 before the stoppage and then returned to birdie the par-5 17th that handed him a two-shot lead going down the last and then, in the near darkness Manassero made in four birdies in succcession when he nearly holed his second shot at 18 on route to fourth birdie in a row in a round of 66 to win by three shots at 26-under.

There were joyous scenes as he walked triumphantly from the course with his caddy and supporters spraying the victory champagne.

“I won’t be able to reflect on the win for a while but it’s been the best day of my life on a golf course”, he said.

“It has been a crazy journey. I knew over the last couple of year I was getting back on the right track but then you never know when a win is going to happen even coming down the 18th

“We hit a good tee shot but I still had to do some work.  Golf is a really difficult and tough game and I am really so incredibly happy to be here holding the trophy right now”.

Matteo Manassero wins 2024 Jonsson Workwear Open – Image DPWT

Manassero’s victory is easily the best golfing story of the New Year having created all sorts of Tour record in winning three times before the age of 20 but then after capturing a fourth with also his record-breaking DP World Tour title at the 2013 BMW PGA Championship at Tour HQ it all turned pear-shape.

There was a complete loss of form along with back injury, so much so, virtually gave the game away some five years ago.

He re-emerged winning his first professional event in seven years at the 2020 Toscana Open on the Alps Tour, two tiers below the European Tour, ahead of last year when won twice on the twice on the 2023 Challenge Tour, including last July with success on home soil in the Italian Challenge, that helped see him end the ninth on the rankings, securing his return to the European Tour in 2024.

Manaessero arrived in the South African capital having played nine new DPWT events with a best of T5th in last December’s South African Open but also missing the halfway cut in five, including four in succession and those being the last two prior to Christmas and his opening two events in the Middle East in January.

The win ensures he’s now exempt to the end of 2026 while he’s leaped to 13th on the Race to Dubai money list and also leaps from381st on the world rankings to the new 182nd. The last occasion Manassero was anywhere near No. 182 in the world it was just over eight-years ago and on a downward slide in missing the cut at the 2015 Qatar Masters.

He bottomed out on the rankings to 1,202nd at the end of 2019 which was a far cry from a career high of No. 25 in July 2013 at the Scottish Open.

 



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