Rain threatens to delay pro debut of prodigy Manassero

THE eagerly anticipated professional debut of Italian 17-year-old Matteo Manassero which was due to take place today may be delayed.

Five consecutive days of unseasonal heavy rain have waterlogged the Royal Park Roveri course in Turin, creating serious concern that the first round of the Italian Open will have to be postponed for 24 hours and the tournament reduced to 54 holes. Manassero has been drawn to play with Scotland's Colin Montgomerie and Rhys Davies, the young Welsh winner of the recent Madeira Islands Open. It gives Montgomerie, Europe's Ryder Cup captain, an opportunity to cast an eye on more youth potential beyond Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland, who won on the US Tour last weekend.

Manassero, though, insists he is not putting pressure on himself to follow in the footsteps of McIlroy and Ryo Ishikawa ahead of his professional debut on home soil. Northern Ireland's McIlroy turned 21 on Tuesday, two days after his stunning win at the Quail Hollow Championship, while Japan's Ishikawa, 18, carded an amazing final round of 58 to win in Japan on Sunday.

Manassero is younger still, having celebrated his 17th birthday on 19 April, and can also list some impressive achievements.

At 16 he became the youngest ever winner of the British Amateur Championship, in 2009, shortly after he finished 13th in the Open at Turnberry, and last month he came 36th at Augusta as the youngest player in Masters history. Expectations are therefore high ahead of the Italian Open in Turin, which gets under way – weather permitting – today, but Manassero is keeping a level head.

"My goal is to try to win my card for next season from the seven invites I am allowed," said Manassero, who has already received invites to the Memorial Tournament on the US Tour and the European Tour's flagship BMW PGA Championship.

"I am thinking about winning but there is no pressure on this. If the chance will come and I take it that would be a great moment, but I am in no rush.

"What can I say about the other two guys? I don't know Ryo but I know Rory and I am very happy that he won and got through the bad spell that he had. I don't have expectations on myself, maybe other people do, but I don't play for them, I play for myself. That is how I handle the expectations."

Yesterday's pro-am event was washed out after several days of rain and the immediate forecast is not too encouraging.