Matteo Manassero believes his on-course struggles in recent seasons have helped him grow as a golfer and a man as he heads into the weekend at the Investec South African Open Championship aiming for a first DP World Tour win for a decade.
The Italian became the youngest winner in DP World Tour history when he won the CASTELLÓ MASTERS Costa Azahar at the age of 17 years and 188 days in 2010 and he added a trophy in each of the next three seasons, peaking with a victory at the 2013 BMW PGA Championship.
That triumph ensured his place on Tour for five seasons but he would secure just five top tens before losing his full playing privileges in 2018 and finishing 293rd on the Rankings the following year.
From a high of 25th, he would drop outside the top 1,800 on the Official World Golf Ranking before winning the Toscana Alps Open on the Alps Tour in 2020.
Two winless seasons on the European Challenge Tour would follow but two victories in 2023 saw him finish ninth on the Road to Mallorca and return to the DP World Tour.
After making the cut at last week's Joburg Open, consecutive rounds of 68 have him just one shot off the lead after 36 holes at Blair Atholl Golf & Equestrian Estate and the now 30-year-old is relishing being in the mix again.
"It's always nice to be in this position," said the World Number 386. "In the top ten and seeing the leaders not far away from you, that's definitely a nice position to be in, to look forward and take what comes. It will be a good thing whatever the outcome may be.
"That's what we work for and more than that to get this opportunity to feel good in these situations. That's the ultimate goal of our work.
"There was a lot of things in the last few years but I have many more ways to enjoy a weekend in good positions. I worked and I understood many ways to enjoy that situation.
"I've definitely grown as a person the last few years and the results are showing that I also grew as a golfer."
Manassero started on the back nine on day two and he birdied the tenth and 15th to turn in 35.
A two-putt on the first saw him creep further up the leaderboard and while he dropped a shot on the fourth, he hit back with birdies on the fifth and seventh.
"It was a solid round," he said. "I'm happy with my start of the tournament and then of course when the weekend comes it's like a little tournament inside a tournament so we'll take it day by day and shot by shot.
"I'm pleased with the way my game has developed through the last few days. I put some work in so I'm happy with that."
