The 30-year-old from Verona made a great comeback to card a final round of 66 and finish 12 under par, just four months from the Ryder Cup in Rome.
Manassero emulated Marco Crespi and became only the second Italian to win on Europe’s three main tours, the DP World Tour, the Challenge Tour, and the Alps Tour.
Italian Golf Federation President Franco Chimenti said the win was timely.
“Matteo Manassero’s return to victory is great news, one I was most expecting a few months out from the Ryder Cup in Rome, an unrepeatable event that will mark and epochal turning point for Italian golf.”
Chimenti recalled that 10 years ago Manassero became the youngest ever Italian winner of a major tournament when at the age of 20 he won the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.
This year’s Ryder Cup will be played from September 29-October 1 at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club, just outside the Italian capital.
One of the Ryder Cup vice captains is Italy’s Edoardo Molinari, older brother (by two years) of the 40-year-old 2018 Open champ Francesco, who shone at the last Ryder Cup in Europe, in France, when he became the first European to win five points from five matches.
As well as Francesco Molinari, whose form has slumped of late, Italian No.1 Guido Migliozzi is hoping to be named in Team Europe by captain Luke Donald.
ANSA
