Italian teen sensation Matteo Manassero leads the Omega Euroopean Masters after day one in Switzerland.
The 17-year-old carded a flawless seven-under round of 64 at Crans Montana on Thursday to lead England’s Graeme Storm and Mikko Ilonen of Finland by one shot at the end of day one.
The hugely highly-rated youngster was likely inspired by the securing of compatriots Francisco and Eduardo Molinari’s places in the Ryder Cup team when he teed off in Switzerland, and his performance on the day suggested that he could one day be following in their footsteps.
Starting on the back nine, he sunk birdies at the tenth and 15th before following that up with more successes at one, three, six, seven and nine to eclipse all challengers on the day.
Storm also hit seven birdies, but the Englishman made a bad start as he bogeyed the tenth. He came back to reach three-under by the turn, then on the front nine hit more birdies at five, seven and nine to sit alone in second for part of the afternoon.
Ilonen caught him up though, the Finn finishing with back-to-back birdies as, like Manssero, he went bogey free on day one.
Six players are tied for fourth on five-under, Eduardo Molinari among them, along with English pair Steve Webster and Robert Coles, Scotsman David Drysdale, Australian Rick Kulacz and Chapchai Nirat of Thailand.
Eight more players – including Ryder Cup vice-captain Darren Clarke – carded four-under 67s, while Swede Mikael Lundberg finished the day on two-under, but not before hitting a hole in one at the third to win a solid gold bar valued at £20,000.