An Italian golfer, barley 20 years old, has become the youngest champion in the 58-year history of the BMW PGA Championship. Young Matteo Manassero beat 2010 winner Simon Khan of England on the fourth playoff hole. It was his fourth European Tour title.
Manassero is now qualified for the upcoming US Open and gets to skip the troublesome 36-hole qualifier at the Walton Heath course in England.
At the end of regulation Manassero was tied at 3-under par with Marc Warren of Scotland and Simon Khan of England. Warren found the trees off the first tee and knocked himself out of the competition.
Both Khan and Manassero made their birdies on the first three playoff holes and the young Italian held on for a par after Khan found the water guarding the green with his approach shot.
After the victory, Manassero told reporters, “I’m feeling amazing about this win. I also feel really proud and honored to have won the flagship event. I feel extremely happy. Extremely happy because this place has always had a real special feeling to me and I was in contention in 2011, but couldn’t do it. That was Luke’s time, but I’m so proud to win this year.”
Back in 2010, when he was only 17 years old, Manassero won the 2010 Castellon Masters in Spain. Five months later he added a second title by winning the 2011 Malaysian Open.
“I now have to be obviously looking at the Ryder Cup and I really want to be there, and that’s all I can say,” said Manassero in an interview. “I can certainly say to you that I feel good in match play because I’ve done well at the Accentrue Match Play Championship, and I’ve played a lot of match play as an amateur.”
Yet another young golfing sensation is 14 year old Guan Tianlang who caught the attention of the golfing world when he appeared at the recent Masters Tournament as the youngest golfer to ever participate in the event. And he did quite well.
Tianlang made the cut for the final rounds which was something that the oddsmakers gave little chance of happening. He proceeded to make the cut at the Zurich Classic and now has received an invitation to participate in the St. Jude Classic.
St. Jude tournament director Phil Cannon told the press, “Guan’s invitation was a no-brainer.” “It’s remarkable that he did not have a 3-putt green in 72 holes at Augusta.”
