Tour News

What happened to Matteo Manassero? Let him tell you

Published

10 years ago

Jul 8, 2016

Now the No. 596 golfer in the Official World Golf Ranking, one-time rising star Matteo Manassero was tied for second after two rounds at the Scottish Open.

Crazy to think that the Italian, now 23, had won four times on the European Tour by 20 and cracked the top 30 in the OWGR.

Big things were expected, but unfortunately, little success has materialized in the years since. He hasn’t won since the 2013 BMW PGA Championship and has recorded just two top-10 finishes since 2014.

Manassero opened up to Bunkered magazine after his first round in Scotland. And if you ever wondered, “What happened to Matteo Manassero?” you’ll want to read what he had to say.

On what was going wrong…

“It was a really tough time about a lot of things: with myself and more technical things. There were a lot of downs and some pretty deep ones, but it’s something that a person has to face and being out here, being under pressure and having to perform because people expect you to perform, it just increases the problems even more and that’s what it was.”

On the lowest moment…

“There wasn’t one [particularly low] – just a lot of tough moments. When you shoot 80 and you feel like you can’t do much better, it’s just bad. I was trying but every time I had an important shot, I was missing. It was such a bad feeling.”

On how his poor play affected him…

“But I wanted to get out of it. My spirits were never that good, and I wasn’t completely myself during that period. It’s impossible to keep your spirits up when it’s something that is so important to you and you care about so much and you can’t do it.

“And there was no trigger for it; it was just me. It was one of those things where people can tell you whatever to help you but in the end, you have to get out of it. It’s inside of you. It’s not a mental coach, it’s not your father, it’s not your mother, it’s just you.”

Fortunately, Manassero seems to be in a better headspace now. He survived the crucible of U.S. Open qualifying and finished tied for 46th at Oakmont and has tallied some quality results on the European Tour recently.

Here’s hoping his turnaround continues.

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Ben Alberstadt

Ben Alberstadt is the Editor-in-Chief at GolfWRX, where he’s led editorial direction and gear coverage since 2018. He first joined the site as a freelance writer in 2012 after years spent working in pro shops and bag rooms at both public and private golf courses, experiences that laid the foundation for his deep knowledge of equipment and all facets of this maddening game. Based in Philadelphia, Ben’s byline has also appeared on PGATour.com, Bleacher Report...and across numerous PGA DFS and fantasy golf platforms. Off the course, Ben is a committed cat rescuer and, of course, a passionate Philadelphia sports fan. Follow him on Instagram @benalberstadt.

20 Comments

African Chicken

Jul 13, 2016 at 1:57 am

Most of tour player when change sponsership, especially from Titleist to Callaway facing this problem..Manasero is 1 guy, i still remember Colsaerts, maybe u can include Els, Mickelson. If they maintain using Titleist maybe they can play better for long term. Once u got sponsership fow few milions for few years, just enjoy playing and money still cash in..winning the tournament is just bonus.

Just my opinions, it can be other factor as well.

Reply Report comment
Gordy

Jul 11, 2016 at 11:06 am

This is actually a pretty deep article for how short it is in my opinion. The dude basically mentally lost it from the pressure. I remember playing junior golf and winning a bunch of tournaments and then everyone thought I was “tiger woods”. When I played bad I felt so ashamed because the scores would go into the newspaper and everyone would ask me what happened. It really pushed me away from the game when I was younger. Now that I am older I get golf lol, and love playing tournament golf. But golf is a game where your highs are so great and your lows are so low.

Reply Report comment
Sean

Jul 11, 2016 at 9:08 am

Would we? Pretty unprofessional if you ask me. Rory mcilroy had to put up with pressure and money. Hasn’t been outside the top 100 since he got into it. Something more to this. Dropping to 583 or whatever when he’s clearly a top 50 player smacks of laziness and a bad attitude.

Reply Report comment
AntiSmizzle

Jul 11, 2016 at 12:53 am

Smizzle, you’re probably the same idiot that yells ‘bababooy’ or ‘get in the hole’ after every shot at all the tournaments that allow spectators to be dickheads like that. You’re truly a waste of oxygen.

Reply Report comment
Diarra

Jul 10, 2016 at 2:38 pm

A lot of money at young age. Not so easy to handle. Good to see him back playing well, has the potential to match rory, Day, Spieth.

Reply Report comment
Wilson

Jul 10, 2016 at 5:59 am

Funny, and now he is two behind in Scotland. GO Manassero!

Reply Report comment
Sad Smizzle

Jul 10, 2016 at 12:02 am

I don’t get the sob story articles about the fall of a golf pro who has already earnt millions through sponsorship and now has to get a regular job like the rest of us.

Reply Report comment
- Dave
  
  Jul 10, 2016 at 12:26 pm
  
  If he has MILLIONS…WHY would he need a job like the rest of us?
  
  Reply Report comment
KoreanSlumLord

Jul 9, 2016 at 11:06 am

Great read. Real, get down to the nitty-gritty stuff here. All struggling golfers will need to read this life changing piece.

Reply Report comment
Paul Alone

Jul 9, 2016 at 7:42 am

Dissapointed! Not a deep article…

Reply Report comment
don d.

Jul 9, 2016 at 7:13 am

Even at our amateur level slumps are difficult emotionally and physically. I cannot imagine doing it for a living. You never hear much about what a pros life is like who misses cut after cut. The effort needed to play at a high level must be tough. Plus, being on the road constantly must get old really quickly. I enjoy playing golf but to turn it into a professional endeavor is not for everyone.

Reply Report comment
Arnold

Jul 8, 2016 at 10:15 pm

Reading these comments, it’s pretty obvious that none of these people in the comment section felt the pressure of an elite level tournament. What he said is the absolute 100% truth. There is nothing more to a slump than yourself. However, given the massive amount of pressure the Tour can bring, it is SO EASY to lose confidence in their own abilities and therefore will be in an endless pursuit of perfection, which leads to catastrophe. Unless someone does an honest-to-god self evaluation with no exaggeration of their weaknesses, and also full acceptance and embracement of their weaknesses, the person in the slump (Matteo in this case) will never realize that the problem is curable only by him and will always search for an excuse wether it be technical or circumstantial. Going back to what I said in the beginning, when Matteo said that the problem was within himself, it was not a “cliche” or “shallow” answer; it is THE answer.

Reply Report comment
- Tim
  
  Jul 9, 2016 at 7:30 pm
  
  oooooooh burnnnnTTT hahha
  
  Reply Report comment
- The dude
  
  Jul 10, 2016 at 9:08 pm
  
  Shhhh…you write too much with no point. Try to keep idiocy brief…..
  
  Reply Report comment
- bobby longfellow
  
  Jul 13, 2016 at 1:10 pm
  
  i deal with similar pressure just about every night when i’m laying the wood to my old lady.
  
  Reply Report comment
Smizzaroo

Jul 8, 2016 at 9:01 pm

That told me nothing. Great article. Vomit

Reply Report comment
- Nathan
  
  Jul 8, 2016 at 11:34 pm
  
  What are some things you want to hear about then ?
  
  Reply Report comment
ooffa

Jul 8, 2016 at 4:48 pm

Read between the lines. Suddenly coke, booze and girls became affordable. He can come back from it. Our current US Open Champion did. Go get em Matteo!

Reply Report comment
- Sean
  
  Jul 11, 2016 at 9:05 am
  
  Coke? Are you stupid? Do you know how often these guys are tested?
  
  Reply Report comment
Mike

Jul 8, 2016 at 1:12 pm

Those are some cliche answers. Obviously there was more to it.

Reply Report comment

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