24 June 2009 16:33 GMT

16-year-old Italian, Matteo Manassero, who at Formby Golf Club on Saturday 20 June became the youngest player ever to win The Amateur Championship, will take up his place at The Open Championship this July where he will enter the record books as the second-youngest player ever to play in golf’s oldest Major, the first being Tom Morris Junior who was 14 when he competed in 1865.

“I never imagined once that I could win this tournament; I’m shocked. It’s unbelievable!” said Manassero, who finished 19th at last month’s Italian Open. “I think everyone in Italy knows about it already, and I hope it helps with amateur golf there. To be the first Italian, wow, that is something very special.”

And he’ll arrive on the Ayrshire coast with the advantage of having played the Ailsa course at last year’s Amateur Championship.

“I really like Turnberry,” he added. “It’s a typical links.”

In addition to his exemption to The Open, Manassero also receives an invitation to next April’s Masters Tournament at Augusta National.

Parallels will inevitably be drawn between the young man from Verona and Sergio Garcia, winner of The Amateur at Muirfield in 1998, two years after he had made his debut Open Championship appearance at Royal Lytham & St Annes aged 16. The Italian’s no fear, aggressive approach is reminiscent of Garcia when he burst onto the scene over a decade ago. And as history repeats itself at Turnberry, there will once again be plenty of spectators eager to watch one of the game’s brightest young talents take on the best in the world.

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