It was the final round of the Jonsson Workwear Open. All eyes were on Matteo Manassero. But wait… Does the name seem familiar? Any true golf fan would remember the Italian professional. Back in 2010, he was just two weeks shy of turning 17 when he decided to turn pro. By doing so, he became the second-youngest ever to earn a European Tour card behind Seve Ballesteros. And a second Ballesteros in victories, he would have become. But Alas! For fate had other plans for the golfer.

Now, coming back to the 2024 Jonsson Workwear Open. As we said, everyone’s attention was on him as he readied himself to putt the ball into the last hole. The reason? Well, the athlete had birdied the previous three holes and was on the way to a victory with a birdie in the final hole. Did he win? You bet he did, for the now-31-year-old scored another birdie to put up a figure of 26-under overall. An iconic victory, not just because of the exciting finish, but because it took 3,942 days to get that win, as per Golf Monthly.

Almost 11 years without any wins on the European circuit (now called DP World Tour). Does that make sense? Unfortunately, it does. The Italian who was once dubbed “the brightest upcoming talent in the game of golf” suffered a loss of form that led to his downfall, pushing him outside No. 1000 of the OWGR.

This led to Matteo Manassero losing his DP World Tour card back in 2018 causing him to take a break from the sport, a year later. “The toughest period was when I stepped away from golf in 2019 for a few months,” recounted the pro on the European Tour’s website, “I literally couldn’t play anymore. Golf had become too heavy on me. That was a tough realization.”

Although it took a bit of time, Manassero battled back through. And the result? A scintillating victory on 10th March 2024 at the Jonsson Workwear Open, 11 years after the 2013 BMW PGA Championship win he carded in May. Calling it an encouraging moment for the golfer would be a huge understatement after the journey he went through!

The rise and fall of Matteo Manassero

Amazing! What else can be used to describe the win that Matteo Manassero carded back in March at the Glendower Golf Club? But for it to be called a comeback, there has to be a rise first and then a fall. Both of which are pretty evident in the Italian’s case, to be frank. The former, interestingly so, started before 2008, the year when his achievements were noted and he made it into the Junior Ryder Cup. 

The following year saw him achieve many more feats. He became the youngest to win The Amateur, clinched the Silver Medal as the leading amateur at the Open, and cemented his position at the No. 1 spot on the WAGR. Impressed? Well, there’s more. By 2010, the then-16 years 11 months and 22 days old became the youngest golfer to make the cut at the Masters, following which he turned pro.

Then came his first victory, making him the youngest athlete to card a European Tour win at the Castelló Masters Costa Azahar when he was just 17 years and 188 days old. Matteo Manassero then carded a victory each year with his last coming off the 2013 BMW PGA Championship, allowing him to play on the circuit for 5 more years. Now you can feel impressed!

Cue his period of decline. Matteo Manassero’s next professional win came seven years later at the Toscana Alps Open on the developmental Alps Tour. Yes, you read that right! He won the event in 2020. Now, fast forward three years into the future and we see him emerge victorious two times on the Challenge Tour. And that, helped him return to the DP World Tour. Truly an inspiring journey!