What were you doing two weeks before your 18th birthday? Looking forward to your university years? Or just excited by the prospect of being able to buy alcohol without the help of an older sibling?
Well here is what Italian teenage sensation was doing - winning his second European Tour title at the Malaysian Open. Already the Tour's youngest player after his Castillo Masters win last year, the wunderkind is now holds second position in the same category.
Manassero, who celebrates his 18th birthday on Tuesday, earned himself a €288,465 present as a final-round 68 took him to 16-under par in humid Kuala Lumpur and held off Grégory Bourdy and Rory McIlroy.
“It feels amazing - it’s a great achievement,” said the former British Amateur champion. “As I always say I could never have expected it all to have one win before I was 18 and now I’ve got two.
Manassero also paid tribute to Seve Ballesteros, who he described as his golfing hero. “He is and will always be,” he added. “I thought Seve was the kind of player I wanted to be.
Bourdy who birdied five of the first six in his third round, reeled off four in a row from the third in the final round and set a clubhouse target of 15 under par but Manassero led the chasing pack ahead of McIlroy, holing his approach to the par-5 tenth for eagle, then birdieing the next to take a one stroke lead.
He missed a six footer for par at the next, dropped a shot at 13 then immediately got it pack to par in and set the 16-under target. McIlroy threatened with birdies at 16 and 17 but three putted the last to finish just two adrift of the young Italian and one behind the Frenchman.
“I’m pretty disappointed but it was a good week,” said McIlroy. “I started off really well considering the travelling after the Masters is a pretty good effort.
