Edoardo, Francesco Molinari and Matteo Manassero
Edoardo and Francesco Molinari and teenage star Matteo Manassero will attempt to become the first Italian since Constantino Rocca to win the BMW PGA Championship netx month.
The sport has never enjoyed a finer period in Italy than at present, with the Molinaris winning three times between them last season and helping Europe to a thrilling Ryder Cup victory over the United States, and Manassero continuing to astound the golfing world by breaking records seemingly at every turn.
The teenager claimed his second European Tour title in the recent Maybank Malaysian Open, two days before his 18th birthday, and both victories beat the previous record for youngest European Tour winner, set by Danny Lee, who was 18 years and 213 days old when he won the 2008 Johnnie Walker Classic.
Since becoming the youngest player to win the Amateur Championship in 2009, Manassero has left a trail of broken records in his wake, including youngest recipient of the silver medal at The Open Championship, when in 2009 he finished tied 13th, and youngest to make the cut at the Masters, coming tied 36th in 2010 for the best performance by a European amateur in 73 years.
Hailing from Verona, Manassero made his debut in the BMW PGA Championship in 2010 – it was his second event as a professional following his debut in the BMW Italian Open – and finished an impressive 17th. Since then he has missed just two cuts in 21 tournaments and, like his compatriots the Molinaris, will be looking to emulate Rocca’s 1996 victory over Wentworth Club’s iconic West Course.
Manassero said: “It would be a great honour to follow Constantino as the second Italian to win the BMW PGA Championship. I was only three when he won so I don’t remember it, but I have seen his victory on video and know how important it was.
“The BMW PGA Championship is our flagship event on The European Tour and one everyone wants to win. I’m no different and it would be fantastic to win my third European Tour title at Wentworth.”
Manassero has admitted his path to glory has been made smoother by having Edoardo and Francesco Molinari as examples to follow.
Last year Edoardo, the 2009 Challenge Tour Rankings winner, claimed the Barclays Scottish Open and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, and Francesco triumphed in the WGC-HSBC Champions. The brothers also won the Omega Mission Hills World Cup in 2009, the first time an Italian team had done so.
“It’s very good to have two top players in the world and Ryder Cup players that are close to you, come from the same country, and introduce you to that life,” said Manassero. “It was lucky for me.
“They have helped me a lot and are both good friends.. They helped me settle into this life, which wasn’t easy at the beginning. They have been there and done it, and done it very well. We often practise together and they give me help and advice because they have been playing on Tour for five or six years now. So I owe them a lot.”
Like Manassero, the Molinaris are keen to keep the Italian flag flying with victory at Wentworth.
Francesco, who has played in five BMW PGA Championships, his best performance coming last year at tied 17th, said: “Wentworth is the home of The European Tour and the BMW PGA Championship is our flagship event, so to win there would be very special.
“It is a very good time for Italian golf and we just have to keep playing well and continue it. Hopefully our success will inspire others in our country to take up the game.”
Edoardo added: “It’s always a pleasure to play at Wentworth because of the history there. Many great players have won the BMW PGA Championship – including our compatriot Constantino Rocca - and it would be fantastic to follow in their footsteps.”
