Matteo Manassero, a strong addition to the Volvo Golf Champions
Matteo Manassero of Italy has committed to participate in the Volvo Golf Champions, slated to start from January 10, 2013. The tournament will be played at the Durban Country Club, featuring some of the best players on the European Tour.
The Volvo Golf Champions is known for featuring a strong line-up each year. This year too, a number of top-notch players will be vying for a share of the US$2million prize purse in South Africa.
The tournament has reeled in some prominent names, including the likes of the 19-time European Tour winner Miguel Ángel Jiménez, the 2011 Open champion Darren Clarke and Jeev Milkha Singh, who won the Asian Tour Order of Merit two times in his career.
Manassero is one of the strongest additions to the tournament this season. The Italian is just 19 years old and has already registered his name in the history books, several times during his career.
In 2009, he became the youngest winner of the Amateur Championship. The same year witnessed him becoming the youngest player to receive the Silver Medal, which is awarded to the leading amateur to finish at The Open Championship.
In 2010, he participated in the Masters Tournament and made the cut. As a result, he became the youngest player to contend in the final two rounds at Augusta National.
Right after that, he decided to turn professional and proved his mettle by becoming the youngest player in the history of the European Tour to record a victory – he won the 2010 Castelló Masters Costa Azahar.
Subsequently, he was also named as the 2010 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year.
He then added another title to his resume in 2011 by taking home the Maybank Malaysian Open, after defeating Grégory Bourdy with a one-stroke margin.
Last season, he did not allow his winning streak to break, as he defeated Louis Oosthuizen in the playoffs of the Barclays Singapore Open.
While making his commitment for the Volvo Golf Champions, he said that he will try to start to his 2013 campaign on a high note, by performing well in the tournament.
He also stated that he enjoyed a great run of form in late 2012. Therefore, he plans to keep the momentum going into 2013, in a bid to taste more success on the big stage.
"I am really looking forward to starting 2013 in Durban at the Volvo Golf Champions,” he said. “I had a fantastic end to my season after having had quite a difficult summer so I want to keep this form going into 2013”.
He added, “Although I am really excited about Christmas and having a bit of a rest, I am already looking forward to playing against a field of European Tour champions in such a beautiful venue in the South African sunshine”.
Tags: