Just a few miles further down the Ayrshire coastline from Royal Troon, Matteo Manassero had the dream ticket when he first teed it up in the Open Championship.

It was at Turnberry back in 2009 where Manassero announced himself on the global stage as a fresh-faced 16-year-old.

The fact he did so whilst playing alongside golfing royalty only made the experience all the more special for the young Italian.

Manassero partnered Tom Watson and Sergio Garcia for the first two rounds at Turnberry after becoming the youngest ever winner of the Amateur Championship just a few weeks previously. He followed that with another stunning performance, finishing in a tie for 13th place to also become the youngest ever winner of the silver medal for the leading amateur in The Open.

Indeed, he finished only four shots back from the play-off which had to separate Watson and eventual winner Stewart Cink. It remains one of the highlights of Manassero’s career.

After having to endure some dark days over recent years, he is now back at the sharp end of the game once again. But he admits it would be hard for anything to top that first experience of The Open when he played alongside five-time winner Watson.

As he prepares to tee it up this week, the Italian said: ‘It is fantastic to be back here at Troon. I would also like to be back playing The Open at Turnberry one day for sure.

‘It feels like a long time ago in 2009. But I can’t tell you how special that was. Not only because of the legend Tom is, but the way he really connected with me. I was only a kid. He was great with me. Sergio was also great with me those two days. The weekend, I had a big crowd with me because they wanted me to do well.

‘It was a really special week — and I think nothing will ever be like it. Just because it was so unique, the circumstances of being so young, and playing with Tom and Sergio. I have great memories.’

Manassero played at The Open when it was last held in Troon back in 2016, but admits he had a nightmare due to coming out on the wrong side of the draw and facing some brutal weather in the second round.

Then, just a few months after countryman Francesco Molinari won the Claret Jug at Carnoustie, Manassero’s slump led to him losing his Tour card at the end of 2018.

That was in such stark contrast to the way in which he burst on to the scene after that breakthrough appearance at The Open.

By the age of 20, the young Italian had won four times, the last of which was the tour’s flagship event at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in 2013. But he then suffered a drastic loss of form.

He sunk into golfing oblivion to such an extent that, at one point, he could barely even summon the energy or desire to pick up a club. If his rise to the top had been meteoric, then his fall had been equally spectacular. Few could have predicted that the young Italian would spend so many years in the wilderness.

After five years, he managed to win back his tour card at the end of 2023 and now his career looks to be very much back on track.

Manassero (pictured) had a strong finish at last week’s Genesis Scottish Open, finishing just outside the top ten at The Renaissance.

Looking forward to being back at Troon this week, he is glad that the dark days are finally behind him once and for all.

‘I know the ups and downs that The Open can give you, but I’m really looking forward to this because it’s such a special event,’ he said.

‘I had a lot of difficult moments in the past few years.

‘Once I started rebuilding, it was a lot of learning for me that now helps me put things into perspective. I feel I have changed a lot and can look forward to the future.’