Italian teenager Matteo Manassero equalled the course record with a blistering eight-under-par 64 to storm into the lead after the opening round of the Andalucia Open on Thursday.
Now 18, Manassero was just 17 years and 188 days old when he won by four strokes at the Castello Masters in Spain in October 2010 to become the youngest champion on the European Tour.
The world number 63 returned nine birdies and a solitary bogey at the Aloha Golf Club in Marbella to open a three-stroke advantage over South African Hennie Otto, Spaniard Eduardo de la Riva, Britons Anthony Wall and Lloyd Kennedy and Swede Niclas Fasth.
A group of six, including former U.S. Masters winner Mike Weir of Canada, were a stroke further back on four under while tournament host Miguel Angel Jimenez and Abu Dhabi champion Robert Rock of Britain were among several players on 69.
"This is quite similar to Castellon - a little bit more hilly maybe," said Manassero who has two tour wins under his belt and is bidding to climb into the top-50 in time for next month's U.S. Masters.
"You need to put the ball in play and then do well around the greens," he told the tour's website (www.europeantour.com). "It's a course that suits me pretty well."
Now 18, Manassero was just 17 years and 188 days old when he won by four strokes at the Castello Masters in Spain in October 2010 to become the youngest champion on the European Tour.
The world number 63 returned nine birdies and a solitary bogey at the Aloha Golf Club in Marbella to open a three-stroke advantage over South African Hennie Otto, Spaniard Eduardo de la Riva, Britons Anthony Wall and Lloyd Kennedy and Swede Niclas Fasth.
A group of six, including former U.S. Masters winner Mike Weir of Canada, were a stroke further back on four under while tournament host Miguel Angel Jimenez and Abu Dhabi champion Robert Rock of Britain were among several players on 69.
"This is quite similar to Castellon - a little bit more hilly maybe," said Manassero who has two tour wins under his belt and is bidding to climb into the top-50 in time for next month's U.S. Masters.
"You need to put the ball in play and then do well around the greens," he told the tour's website (www.europeantour.com). "It's a course that suits me pretty well."
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