Italian stallion Matteo Manassero has lengthened and changed the shafts in all his irons with the goal of reaching further European Tour success.
The 19-year old, and double Tour winner, had Titleist staff replace the shafts in his irons with shafts a half-an-inch longer.
“I had the shafts changed so I can launch the ball more,” he said ahead of the second round in the Spanish Open in Seville.
Matteo Manassero targeting further success with longer irons. (Photo - Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
“Also I am using lighter shafts and along with the longer shafts in my irons I am feeling a lot more comfortable in my set-up and helps me get more speed on the ball.”
‘Manny’ indicated he did not feel the changes would help him this week, although he is well in contention in the Spanish Open, but is looking to the rest of the season.
“I’ve had two weeks off practicing with the new shafts just to get used to them but I don’t think it will be to coming weeks I will be totally happy with them,” he said.
“But while I am making my mind up how these news clubs will perform already the ball is flying a lot better and that’s what I wanted to improve.”
‘Manny’ arrived in Spain lying well up in 15th position the Race to Dubai with earnings this year from his nine events of Euro 382,172.
He was runner-up in the Andalucian Open and sixth a week later in the Hassan 11 Trophy in Agadir.
Earlier in the year he also finished sixth in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship while he was seventh in his defence of the Maybank Malaysian Open.
“I have been playing well this year and scoring good,” he said.
“The Malaysian Open was my last event and it was important I play well in that event and I did by finishing top-10.”
The current World No. 64 is boosting hopes in Spain of qualifying for next month’s U.S. Open in moving in remaining in contention for victory in Seville.
The teenager needs to be inside the top-60 at the close of competition on Sunday May 27th to be assured of contesting a second straight U.S. Open.
As well, he also will have the chance of qualifying via a 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier the very next day at Walton Heath.
