Italy’s Matteo Manassero became the youngest ever winner of the BMW PGA Championship as he claimed his fourth European Tour title at the age of 20 on the fourth hole of a sudden-death play-off.
Manassero, Scotland’s Marc Warren and 2010 champion Simon Khan went into extra holes after finishing tied on 10 under par at Wentworth Club, with Khan setting the clubhouse target after a closing 66 that no one could overtake.
“I feel unbelievable, really emotional,” said Manassero, who at 20 years and 37 days beats the previous record of Bernard Gallacher, who was 20 years and 97 days when he won in
1969.
“It’s been an amazing week. I have always felt something really special about this place and this tournament. Everything has come together this week. I managed to play well and managed to stay in contention after a tough day on Friday and pulled it off with this play-off.
“I am the happiest man in the world right now.”
With this win Manassero:
• His fourth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 82nd European Tour event.
• Moves to €1,055,491 in The Race to Dubai. The second consecutive European Tour season he has passed €1 million in a single European Tour season.
• Moves into the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking from 57th.
• Aged 20 years and 37 days becomes the youngest winner in the history of the Championship, beating the previous record of Bernard Gallacher in 1969, who was aged 20 years and 97 days.
• His first European Tour victory since the 2012 Singapore Open.
• His fourth consecutive European Tour season with a victory, dating back to the 2010 season. This matches the current European Tour record for most consecutive winning years of four, alongside Ian Poulter and Louis Oosthuizen.
• This victory comes in his fourth BMW PGA Championship appearance.
• This victory beats his previous best performance in the BMW PGA Championship of tied seventh in 2011.
• The second of his four European Tour victories where he has made up a final round deficit. The other event was his first win at the 2010 CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar.
• In the last 11 Championships, dating back to 2003, the winner has made up a final round deficit on six occasions. The winners were: Ignacio Garrido (2003), Scott Drummond (2004), Anders Hansen (2007), Miguel Angel Jiménez (2008), Simon Khan (2010) and Matteo Manassero (2013).
• Only the second Italian to win the Championship, following Costantino Rocca in 1996.
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