Matteo Manassero give up golf 5 years in the past on the age of 26, suffering from a sport which gave him so many highs however was now not making him really feel completely happy.
On Sunday, he might punch a ticket to play throughout the Atlantic on the profitable PGA Tour and be again within the large time, the place so many suppose his sport belongs.
The 31-year-old Italian will look to cap his profession revival this week by changing into considered one of 10 gamers from the DP World Tour to be eligible to assert twin membership and a PGA Tour card for the 2025 season.
The season-ending DP World Tour Championship begins on Thursday in Dubai and solely an unlikely flip of occasions will deny Rory McIlroy from being topped because the European tour’s finest participant for a sixth time, leaving him two off Colin Montgomerie’s report haul.
There can be extra suspense elsewhere, although, notably in that race for these PGA Tour playing cards — a structural tweak created in 2022 within the wake of the so-called strategic alliance between the European tour and PGA Tour within the face of mounting strain from the breakaway LIV Golf collection.
The presence of Manassero within the 10-man checklist, because it stands, solely elevates the curiosity ranges.
Blessed with a easy swing and a deft contact, Manassero was a {golfing} prodigy, profitable the British Beginner in 2009, the silver medal at The Open for low newbie the identical 12 months, and likewise changing into No. 1 newbie on the planet.
By 2013, he’d gained 4 occasions on the European tour — together with the BMW PGA Championship, the flagship occasion on the tour, to maneuver into the world’s prime 25.
Then got here the profession dip, which plunged him into self-doubt and in the end retirement — albeit for just a few months whereas he assessed the place to go along with his life. He ultimately determined to offer golf one other go, starting his rebuild on the lowly Nordic Golf League and the Alps Tour, which is on the third tier of European golf.
Manassero, 30, birdied his closing 4 holes to once more win on tour.
His expertise shone by way of and final 12 months he sealed a return to the European tour, with a win on the Jonsson Workwear Open in March being universally celebrated within the golf fraternity.
That helped to place him in a robust place to assert the end-of-season bonus of a PGA Tour card, and he headed to Dubai in fifth place amongst non-exempt gamers, behind Thriston Lawrence, Rasmus Hojgaard, Paul Waring — the winner in Abu Dhabi final week — and Niklas Norgaard. Jesper Svensson, Thorbjorn Olesen, Rikuya Hoshino, Sebastian Soderberg and Jordan Smith make up the checklist, although the tour says any non-exempt participant within the 50-man area can, statistically, break into the highest 10.
Robert MacIntyre resides proof of how life-changing that may be. He was one of many 10 to assert a PGA Tour card after final 12 months’s DP World Tour Championship and he has blossomed, profitable two large PGA Tour occasions — the Canadian Open and the Scottish Open — and rising to a career-high fifteenth on the planet in August. He’s No. 16.
“Profession-changing, 100%,” MacIntyre mentioned on Tuesday. “I’ve now acquired to the highest degree {of professional} golf, the highest 25% {of professional} golfers. You’ll be able to then choose your schedule and also you’re in all the main occasions and also you’re in all the highest occasions you possibly can play in and you may choose and select, and that’s the place you need to be.
“I believe,” MacIntyre added, “nearly all of golfers out right here have gotten that dream, as effectively.”
If Hojgaard secures his PGA Tour card, he’ll be part of his twin brother Nicolai in the US.
McIlroy on brink on title No. 6
Lawrence leads that checklist of PGA Tour hopefuls however has different issues on his thoughts.
The South African is the one participant who can stop McIlroy from profitable the Race to Dubai title — previously the Order of Benefit — and be part of the late Seve Ballesteros on six.
Lawrence has to win — nothing much less is nice sufficient — after which wants McIlroy to complete tied for eleventh or decrease.
“Rory has been an idol for me since rising up as a teen,” the 27-year-old Lawrence mentioned, “and having the ability to clinch it this week could be the cherry on the cake for myself.”
The sensible cash, nonetheless, is on McIlroy, who has proven extraordinary consistency in gathering a win — on the Dubai Desert Traditional in January — in addition to 4 runner-up finishes and three extra prime fives in his 12 European tour occasions this season.
“Rory is held to the next customary than just about all people else on the planet of golf,” Tommy Fleetwood mentioned. “However I believe he’s proven wonderful golf once more this 12 months, and he’s proven why he’s top-of-the-line to ever do it.”
