Matteo Manassero carded a bogey-free 61, the lowest round of his DP World Tour career, featuring two eagles at the par-5s 11th and 17th to reach 15-under and take the lead at the Jonsson Workwear Open.
“I mean, I never even came close to touching 11-under so it’s been the best round I’ve had in my life, I guess. I couldn’t be happier.”
The Italian’s previous lowest rounds were 62 and 63, both at the 2010 UBS Hong Kong Open. He was the youngest winner in DP World Tour history at 17-years-old at the 2010 at the Castelló Masters Costa Azahar and won in each of the following three seasons but lost his card in 2019 after making just one cut in eighteen starts.
He won twice on the European Challenge Tour last season to return to the DP World Tour.
“This is a long road and of course I’m happy with a round like this but it’s today, tomorrow’s tomorrow and I don’t look behind very much, even if we tend to sometimes,” he said. “So I just look ahead and try to improve the process, get better and see what comes.”
South African Oliver Bekker shot a 65 comprised of ten birdies and three bogeys to move into second place at 14-under.
Northern Ireland’s Tom McKibbin is tied in third place at 13-under after a bogey-free 64 that included an eagle at the par-5 6th and three consecutive birdies from the 16th.
Also sharing third place are Spaniards Ivan Cantero, who made two eagles at the par-5s 11th and 17th, four birdies and three bogeys for a 67, and Angel Hidalgo who shot a bogey-free 64.
