Italian golfing stallion Matteo Manassero tees up in Arizona later today (WED) as the youngest in Accenture Match-Play Championship.
Manassero is just a month shy of turning 21 but in four short years the Verona-born golfer has achieved more than most would attain in a lifetime competing in the play-for-pay ranks.
Callaway’s superstar golfer created European Tour history in 2010 becoming the youngest-ever champion in capturing the Castellon Masters.
Callaway’s exciting Matteo Manassero e trying to soak up his success over the past four years.
‘Manny’ then became the youngest-ever two-time, three-time and four-time winner and better than childhood hero Seve Ballasteros, is winning the respective 2011 Malaysian Open, 2012 Singapore Open and then last year’s flagship BMW PGA Championship.
It means also ‘Manny’ has won a tournament in each of the years he’s been a pro.
The wins has helped him earn more than Euro 4.4m prize-money while still living at home with his mum and dad.
However for the golfer with the drop-dead Italian movie star looks, Manassero admits he’s finding it hard to fathom his blockbuster winning ways.
“I probably should appreciate more what I’ve achieved instead of thinking about just playing well in every tournament,” he said.
“When I don’t play well and people remind me just what I have achieved I then I have a think about it as it has been incredible, it’s been great.
“It’s all happened very quick, of course. But then I can recall going back to that time, when I was maybe 16 and if I was thinking of all of this that I have achieved I would have just said ‘you never know’.
In these four short years ‘Manny’ has played with some of the greats including being paired for the opening two rounds of the 2009 Open Championship alongside five-time Open winner Tom Watson.
Watson then went within a whisker of tying legendary Harry Vardon with six victories before losing out in a play-off to fellow American Stewart Cink.
Manassero said: “I still can’t believe how easy and relaxed Tom was.
“Everything that happened on the course he would take it the same way.
“He was very patient, just taking it easy. He was always chilled on the course, even though he was winning the Open at the time.
“His golf game was obviously extremely consistent. He had remarkable control of the golf ball and his attitude was amazing. That’s the thing I really learned.
“He showed up with a smile and finished his round with a smile. He had birdies, he had bogeys he may even had a double. But he was just the same the whole way round.
“And that’s why he will make a great Ryder Cup captain. He is the guy who takes it all in his stride. He keeps that same attitude and stays patient.”
The current World No. 50 has the potential also of coming up against Watson’s USA Team later this year at Gleneagles.
And while ‘Manny’ will play his next four events in the States thereby lifting hopes of breaking inside the top-nine qualifiers this politely-spoken Italian is happy to by his time in representing Europe.
“It would be a dream come true to play in the Ryder Cup,” he said.
“But I know this year will be really tough. I’m 50th in the world at present and it makes a big difference if I stay in the top 50.
“So while it would be nice, it will be very tough for me this year to make the Gleneagles team.”
