It is a big week for young Matteo Manassero. The 18 year old Italian will tomorrow become the youngest ever participant in the biennial Vivendi Seve Trophy, surpassing Sergio Garcia when he takes to the first tee at Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche shortly after midday. Tomorrow also marks Manassero’s professional team golf debut, a foundation he hopes will eventually lead to a place in José Maria Olazábal’s 2012 Ryder Cup Team next September. Can the Verona born prodigy transfer his stunning start in professional golf – having won his first European Tour event at the tender age of 17 in 2010 – onto the continental team stage? Can he make his mark this week in Paris and stake a claim to be a future star of both the Vivendi Seve Trophy and, of course, The Ryder Cup? He certainly hopes so, and as he this week honours “his hero”, Seve Ballesteros, Manassero will be hoping he can emulate the great man in both his propensity for sporting drama, and indeed his penchant for spectacular, genius-tinted Match Play golf.
