GOLF:ITALY'S MATTEO Manassero (17) became the European Tour's youngest winner when he captured the €2 million Castello Masters in Valencia, Spain, where Dubliner Peter Lawrie also enjoyed a good week to finish tied third.
Manassero began the final round two shots behind overnight leader Gary Boyd, but an inspired inward nine – he picked up three consecutive birdies from the 13th to come home in 32 – and a collapse by Boyd led to a comfortable maiden victory for the teenager.
The European Tour rookie carded a final round 67 for a 16-under-par 268 aggregate to finish four shots ahead of Spain’s Ignacio Garrido (68), whose own late surge earned him second spot.
At 17 years and 188 days, Manassero broke the record set by New Zealand’s Danny Lee, who was 18 years and 113 days when he won the 2008 Johnnie Walker Classic.
Manassero, the 2009 British Amateur champion, whose best European Tour result was a third place at this year’s Omega Masters, also becomes the youngest full European Tour member winner, eclipsing Seve Ballesteros’ record by 12 days.
“It’s just a fantastic feeling. I have always worked for this moment and now I’ve finally done it, it’s an unbelievable moment,” beamed the young Italian, who collected the €333,330 winner’s cheque.
“I couldn’t really imagine being a winner in my first year, it was really just to keep my card, but now I’m a winner already.”
Boyd, who equalled the course record 63 on Saturday, slumped to a 74 for a share of third place on 11-under. His challenge evaporated at the par-three 16th where he found water and carded a double-bogey five.
The Englishman was joined in a tie for third by Lawrie, whose week in the sun closed with a steady, if unspectacular, 70 containing two birdies and one bogey.
Gareth Maybin moved inside the top-20 on seven under with his 67, two ahead of Damien McGrane who also shot 67.
Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy finished strongly at the Egyptian Open on the Challenge Tour but was still some way off Chilean winner Mark Tullo, who recorded his second win of the season to guarantee his full playing rights on the main European Tour next season.
Tullo enjoyed six birdies, an eagle three at the sixth, plus two bogeys in his final round 66 for a 13-under 275 aggregate. The 32-year-old finished one shot ahead of George Murray (72) and Floris de Vries (71) from the Netherlands.
After a sluggish start to the week amid swing changes, McIlroy ironed-out the kinks as the week went on and signed off with a five-birdie 68 at the JW Marriott Mirage City Golf near Cairo.
At six under, McIlroy was just outside the top 10, one shot ahead of Colm Moriarty (69).
Moriarty’s tied-14th finish (€2,951) was good enough to move him up four places to 42nd on the Challenge Tour money list (€29,308).
It was a crucial move as only the top-45 qualify for this week’s Grand Final in Puglia, Italy, after which the top-20 in the standings secure the main European Tour cards for next season.
