DP WORLD TOUR CHAMPIONSHIP

November 13, 2024

Matteo Manassero

Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course

Press Conference

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Q. What is it like to be back at The DP World Tour Championship?

MATTEO MANASSERO: It's very nice. For a few years, I kind of dreamed of being back here but you never know if it's going to happen or not. But now this year, I earned it. I earned it. It's been a really about year, and this tournament has always been a reward of a really good season, and then you come into this with all the guys have different goals and things to get done this season.

There's a lot to play for in these next four days, so I'm looking forward to it but more than anything, I'm enjoying being here and having earned the right to be here.

Q. Did winning twice on The Challenge Tour build the platform for you to succeed on the DP World Tour this year?

MATTEO MANASSERO: It definitely did. The Challenge Tour has improved a lot and winning is never easy, so I had a big spell without any wins. I knew I was developing my game well. I was making progress. But there's nothing like doing it that gives you that confidence that you can and that things are running smooth -- well, they never really run smooth but you can get it done when they are sort of getting difficult.

So that was the start, I would say, of my developing my confidence on the game. The confidence on rest was getting there. It was really good. I was active in what I was doing but it takes that last step on The Challenge Tour.

Q. Victories and success came early in your career, and also comes with highs and lows. How would you describe your life so for as a professional golfer?

MATTEO MANASSERO: Really good. I think it's been great. Reflecting on life a little bit, you don't always have really good times. Unfortunately you have to go through a little bit more difficult moments. I would say it's still related to golf, so it's nothing that important and that massive, like life can bring you.

But I'm happy with the progress I've made on the golf course throughout my career. The beginning was really good, and I'm so happy about the beginning because not many people have the chance to start a professional career like that and get wins under my belt, and so that is still me. It's still mine, and it's never going to be taken away. But the rest was really good to make me a better player, a better person on the golf course.

Q. What initiated your return to better results and ultimately returning to the highest level of the game?

MATTEO MANASSERO: I think the mindset changed, started to change, and that was massive, and then the game developed slower than the mindset, I would say. I switched from a results-orientated mindset to more concentrating on my process and on my progress.

So I was starting to focus on that, and that gave me the patience to improve my game. Ultimately, I think putting made a big difference. More consistent putting was the last kind of bit that made me better.

Q. Where would you rate this season's victory in your career and what would it mean to you?

MATTEO MANASSERO: I would say it could be the top. It's not the biggest golf tournament I've won in my career but from a personal point of view, it is, because it's the hardest; the longest time without winning. So you get the sweet taste, and then get that taken away for 11 years.

So it took a long time, and the way it came, it made me realise I could do really good things even after having gone through hard times. It was definitely sweeter.

Q. What have you learned about your testify going through the peaks and troughs that you have?

MATTEO MANASSERO: Many things. Difficult to keep this answer short.

One thing I learned is that things can be fixed even if you're very down and you're playing really, really bad. It's very difficult to see the light outside of tunnel, but there is always a way. If you have a good team around you and you kind of address things quickly with patience, but like straightaway, things can turn on the bright side and you can improve.

I would say that's one thing, and perspective over the game. Understanding that it didn't always go well.

So yeah, there's many things but I would say those two are two of the things that I never knew at the beginning of my career.

Q. How do you rate this season from 1 do 10?

MATTEO MANASSERO: I'm not a guy that gives 10s but it's definitely a 9. Of course, there's one more to go and it would be nice to put the cherry on the pie, but yeah, it's high. It's definitely more than I expected from this year. It was never going to be an easy year for me thinking at the beginning, but then it turned to living a lot of great moments and going through a lot of great and difficult moments really well. Yeah, great.

Q. What do you think is the best shot you've hit this season, most important in context maybe?

MATTEO MANASSERO: I mean, it wasn't like a really important shot because I just needed to putt it on the green but it was dark. The last shot on 18 in South Africa was really, really kind of tricky because there was no more light, and it was a tricky shot. It was a back flag with a 58.

So I managed to do the perfect shot in a very difficult moment; to produce a perfect shot, and hit it, and feel like it was a perfect shot. So I would say the second shot on 18.