DP World Tour : Jonsson Workwear Open Leaderboard
Matteo Manassero ended his near 11-year wait for a fifth DP World Tour title with an emotional triumph at the Jonsson Workwear Open.
The Italian has experienced all the highs and lows that golf has to offer since becoming the DP World Tour's youngest winner at the age of 17 years and 188 days at the 2010 Castelló Masters Costa Azahar - a record he still holds.
When he lifted the trophy at the 2013 BMW PGA Championship for a fourth victory in as many seasons, he had the golfing world at his feet and it seemed impossible to think he would not win on the DP World Tour for another 3,942 days.
But five years later he found himself without full playing privileges and in the 18 starts he got in 2019, he made just a single cut, while also taking a brief break from golf completely.
A win on the Alps Tour in 2020 served as a boost to his confidence and last season he won twice on the European Challenge Tour to reclaim his card after five years away.
On Friday at Glendower Golf Club, he shot the lowest round of his career with a 61 to take the lead but the job was far from done, with five players holding at least a share of top spot on the back nine in round four.
A two-hour-and-27-minute storm delay as Manassero led by one on the 17th only added to the drama but the now 30-year-old closed out a 66 to finish at -26 and once more enter the winner's circle, three shots ahead of local favourites Thriston Lawrence and Shaun Norris and England's Jordan Smith. The win is worth $255,000
"This is the best day of my life on a golf course for sure," said Manassero, who finished his round with four birdies. "It's been a crazy journey over the last couple of years. I knew that I was getting on the right track but then you never know.
"Even coming down the 18th with a good tee-shot, you still have to do some work. Golf is a really difficult and tough game so I am just so incredibly happy to be here holding this (trophy) right now.
"I think I played really good golf today basically the whole round. It's really hard. The guys behind were playing some incredible golf and every time you look at the leaderboard there is a different name with more birdies.
"Every time during a round of golf you have some times that if you can go through them you see light and then the finish was amazing."
edit **** Canada's Aaron Cockerill didn't bring his A game finishing T55 69 70 68 73 -8 worth approx. $5,150 . He is ranked 13th in the Race to Dubai and 200 owgr.
After a week off the Tour gathers at the Porsche Singapore Classic on March 21, 2024
europeantour.com
Bryan Angus (edit)
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