13th Jul 2011 | Golf
British Open profile: Matteo Manassero
Poised to be golf's next sensation. The one after Rory McIlroy. But the future may have already arrived.
Best Odds: 70/1 - totesport
Age: 18
World Ranking: 29
Best Result in Open: T13 - 2009
Open Record:
This Italian prodigy has only entered the event once before and he won the leading amateur prize and remarkably finished T13, at the age of just 16. He played alongside Sergio Garcia and Tom Watson for the first two days; surely only the heroics of the 59-year-old American stopped the youngster grabbing more headlines of his own.
Form:
Form equals career for this teenager, but both amount to something mightily impressive. His victory at the Castello Masters Costa Azahar made him the youngster ever winner on the European Tour in October 2010. An impressive second behind Ian Poulter followed at the Hong Kong Open before Manassero won again at the Malaysian Open in April of this year, still aged 17.
Verdict:
Who would dare to say what this precocious talent will achieve next? The world is currently in thrall to Rory McIlroy but this Italian is doing things the Irishman only dreamt of when he was 18. Made himself at home at Turnberry immediately so there’s no reason to think a different Open course will make him look naive. Too soon to tip for a win, but his odds may never be so long again.
Odds correct at time of publishing: 18:05 13th Jul, 2011 but subject to change
