Sport : Golf

ROCK AND MANASSERO IN MASTERS SCRAP

21st March 2012, 03:29pm

Robert Rock: Looking for top-50 place

Robert Rock: Looking for top-50 place

Robert Rock and Matteo Manassero go head-to-head in Morocco this week with a place in The Masters up for grabs.

In the two months since he beat Tiger Woods and the world's top four in Abu Dhabi, Rock has slipped from 55th to 57th in the rankings, but he has this one last chance to climb into the top 50 and so earn a debut at Augusta.

The 34-year-old could make it by coming first or second in the Hassan Trophy at the Royal Palace course in Agadir, although a runner-up finish might see him thwarted by others - Ernie Els included - competing at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida.

For 19-year-old Italian Manassero, currently 61st, only a victory will do and his second place at the Andalucian Open last Sunday takes him into the event with high hopes.

Rock was one off the lead at halfway last year over the same course but, rather than grabbing his first victory, dropped back to 19th, eight strokes behind fellow Englishman David Horsey.

"I maybe let the tournament slip away last time," he told the European Tour website.

"I was on top form and maybe pushed it a little too much towards the end to try to win.

"Hopefully I can rectify some of the mistakes I made last time with the experience I have now.

"I know now that I can finish a tournament off if I have a good first couple of rounds and put myself in position.

"It's the type of course I really look forward to playing - old style, tree-lined with some very interesting par threes. It's one of the best venues on Tour."

Rock admits that since his win in the Middle East: "I haven't quite had the time that I would have liked on my game because I've had other things to do, but that's not something I'd change.

"I'm just getting my head around it now and I've started doing a lot of work."

Manassero was beaten only by a course record-equalling closing 64 from little-known Frenchman Julien Quesne at Aloha at the weekend.

"He played amazingly, but I was happy with the way I competed and The Masters is still in my mind," said Manassero.

Quesne, up from 322nd in the world to 183rd, is playing again, while the only two players in the field certain of their places at Augusta are Ryder Cup brothers Francesco and Edoardo Molinari.

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