25 October,2010 09:32 AM IST | | AFP
Italian Manuel Manassero won the Castello Masters yesterday to become the youngest ever winner in European Tour history.
Manassero, at 17 years and 188 days, won by four shots from Spain's Ignacio Garrido, beating the previous Tour record for youngest winner set in 2008 when New Zealand's Danny Lee (18y 113d) won the Johnnie Walker Classic.
The Italian, a former British Amateur Champion, also becomes the youngest full European Tour Member as a result of this win, eclipsing the previous record held by Seve Ballesteros by just 12 days.
Manassero was into his stride early, sinking a 12-foot birdie at the third before nailing a 40-footer at par-three sixth as the gap to Boyd closed to one shot. The youngster dropped a shot on the seventh but turned the screw over the back nine, three successive birdies at 13, 14 and 15 taking him clear of the pack. "I always worked hard for this moment and now I've finally done it, it's an unbelievable moment," Manassero told Sky Sports.
"I was very nervous. At the beginning I was nervous and then I was a bit more relaxed and then I was very nervous again at the end."
