Senor Ballesteross would have been proud of Signor Manassero. If anybody sums up the legacy the Spanish great would have loved to have left the Seve Trophy with, it is surely this stunning young Italian.
There have been more fake heirs to Ballesteros than there were to Henry VIII. But
this boy wonder plays like Seve did, swaggers like Seve did, pays absurd disregard to age barriers like Seve did - and the way in which the 18-year-old threw his ball into the lake on the 18th on the first day, and then how he responded, shows he takes it as personally as Seve did, too.
Matteo Manassero is a Ryder Cup natural the only question is how soon he makes his debut. Lee Westwood has a slight doubt if Manassero will qualify for Chicago next year - "he's too young, isn't he?" - while Ian Poulter has another theory.
"The thing with Matteo is that he may be only 18 but he is so very consistent," said the Englishman. "You can see him racking up enough points to qualify for 2012."
Certainly the youngest player to win on the European Tour has the spirit. Seve would disagree, but perhaps Manassero has too much spirit. As his ball went splash and his visor went down for the first time on tour he looked his age.
