Matteo Manassero might seem like a blast from the past, but in reality, the five-time DP World Tour winner is still very much at the heart of professional golf.
The Italian prodigy burst onto the scene as a teenager, becoming the youngest-ever winner of the BMW PGA Championship in 2013.
Since then, his career has seen ups and downs, but recent flashes of form — most recently at the Irish Open — suggest that Manassero could once again be on the rise.
From 2009 to 2013, the Italian’s season scores to par totalled a sensational 282-under-par. And, after his win at the 2013 BMW PGA Championship moved him into the top 25 in the world rankings, his career to come held high expectations.
However following the dizzying heights of 2013, Manassero’s game seemingly fell apart. Following a meteoric rise in the ranks, the young Italian’s score to par between 2014 and 2023 was a staggering 244-over-par, with only a glimpse of his former self in 2017 (22-under) preventing that number from being substantially higher.
That being said, one of the benefits of being a prodigy is having time on your side. Despite a turbulent nine years, the experience — for better or worse — helped Manassero to develop personally and professionally.
Having found himself back in good form, the Italian entered this week’s BMW PGA Championship ranked sixth on the DP World Tour’s list of ten players who will qualify for a PGA Tour Card at the end of the season.
And while the thought of such success can play on the mind, the past champion has come out of the blocks flying. With opening rounds of 5-under and 4-under, Manassero has put himself in a prime position for moving day.
Speaking with him after round one, the Italian emphasised his excitement about returning to Wentworth and being able to do so in good form.
“It’s a special place for anybody. But of course, it brings really good memories to me. So it’s always good to be back at Wentworth. But the most important thing is good to be back playing good golf.”
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His impressive start to the tournament should come as no surprise. Alongside a strong affinity with the course and event, his 2024 season has been one of his best to date, with his long-awaited return to the winners’ circle at the Jonsson Workwear Open in South Africa acting as the catalyst he needed to kick on.
“I needed a sort of proof at the end of the day. You can work well and progress. But what gives you real confidence is results and winning, ultimately. So I needed that. That was really important for me to kind of boost my mindset so that I could do some great things again.”
With a PGA Tour Card seeming like a strong possibility, Manassero also looks set to secure a career-high finish in the Race to Dubai Rankings. Entering this week’s event at 9th, a strong end to the season would guarantee an improvement on his previous best finish of 10th in 2013.
“It would mean a lot. It would mean a lot of doors that are going to open if I finish like that. But there is a lot of golf to be played. I try to focus on here, now. It’s too far ahead still but of course, I’m doing well, so I’m definitely aiming to try and finish well too.”
Matteo Manassero has ridden the highs and lows of professional golf over the past decade but, with plenty of years left to come, the 31-year-old’s much-anticipated return might well be something special.
