Shadbolt beats Manassero to win Italian Amateur, Tue 22nd Sep 09
Tom Shadbolt beat British Amateur Champion and Italian teenage sensation Matteo Manassero on his home patch to win the Italian Amateur Championship on September 20.

Shadbolt, from Mid-Herts, won the 36-hole final 1-up after a tremendous tussle with Manassero, who had also won the Silver Medal for leading amateur at the Open at Turnberry in July.

Manassero was two-up after nine holes in the final. But a super 31 on the back nine, including a run of birdie, par, eagle, birdie on the last four holes, enabled Shadbolt to go in all square at lunchtime.

In the afternoon, Manassero again raced into a two-hole lead after nine holes. But Shadbolt pulled it back to be all square at the 15th.

He then birdied the 17th to go one-up in the match for the first time, and halved the last to win.

Earlier in the competition, Shadbolt had qualified 10th for the knock-out stages after rounds of 69 and 67. He then beat four French internationals to reach the final.

The event was at the Garda Golf and Country club in Lombardia.

Tom (right) is pictured with his trophies.