Manassero hopeful of mastering his nerves

That is when 16-year-old Italian Matteo Manassero will become the youngest player to play in the US Masters.

"I'm very honoured, of course," said the British amateur champion, who will make his professional debut at the Italian Open next month.

Manassero, a spectacular 13th in the Open last year after being paired with Tom Watson and Sergio Garcia in the first two rounds, will have Mike Weir and Lee Westwood for company today.

"One is a Masters champion, one is Race to Dubai champion – it will be really exciting and a great experience," said the teenager.

"I wish to finish as high as I can and making the cut is my possibility, but I have no goals here. I just want to enjoy this beautiful experience, this beautiful place and take as much experience as I can.

"I always watched and dreamed about the Masters since I was, like, four years old.

"I will be nervous definitely – I hope not too much, but I will be nervous."

Manassero has shown he can cope with testing situations before and not only on the golf course.

Last October he addressed the International Olympic Committee as part of golf's delegation before the vote on whether the sport should become part of the Games.

It will return in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and even then Manassero, 17 on April 19, will be only 23.

He takes over as the youngest Masters participant from Tommy Jacobs who was 17 years two months in 1952.

He is also one of three Italians in the field. Edoardo and Francesco Molinari become the first brothers in the event since Jumbo and Joe Ozaki in 2000.

Former European Tour player Alberto Binaghi, Manassero's coach, is again acting as his caddie for the week, as he did when he won the British Amateur and performed so superbly at the Open.

There are six amateurs in the 96-strong field. The others are 18-year-old Koreans Byeong-hun An and Chang-won Han, respectively the US and Asian amateur champions, and Americans Brad Benjamin, Nathan Smith and Ben Martin.

Manassero is also one of four Europeans making their Masters debuts, the others being Yorkshire's Simon Dyson, fellow Englishman Chris Wood and Francesco Molinari.