BMW Italian Open Preview

Daniel Vancsik defends

published 4 May 2010

Lowdown: There's considerable excitement surrounding this year's Italian Open and much of it centres on hopes of a home victory. Edoardo Molinari has established himself as a significant force in world golf over the past year and he'll be looking to join brother Francesco as a winner of this event. In addition, teenage sensation Matteo Manassero makes his professional debut this week. He will become the second youngest European Tour member of all time - just nine days older than a certain Seve Ballesteros was when he played his first European Tour event in 1974. Manassero has excelled as an amateur - becoming the youngest ever winner of the Amateur Championship last summer, going on to be the youngest competitor in the Open Championship since Young Tom Morris in the 1860s and finishing an excellent 13th, then becoming the youngest player to make the cut at the Masters this April. Expectations are high for the young Italian. This is the second year BMW has been title sponsor of the Italian Open. Last season Daniel Vancsik put on something of a master-class to finish six shots clear of Raphael Jacquelin, Robert Rock and the enigmatic John Daly.

Venue: Royal Park I Roveri Date: May 6-9 Course stats: par 72, 7,282 yards Purse: €1,300,000 Winner: €216,660 Defending Champion: Daniel Vancsik (-17)

TV Coverage: Thursday 6 - Live on Sky Sports 1 from 10.30am Friday 7 - Live on Sky Sports 1 from 10.30am Saturday 8 - Live on Sky Sports 4 from 12.00pm Sunday 9 - Live on Sky Sports 3 from 12.00pm

Player Watch: Edoardo Molinari - The Italian has developed into a consistent performer and is a threat in any event he enters - he'll be particularly keen to win on home soil. He's favourite with the bookies to secure the victory here. Rhys Davies - The Welshman has enjoyed an excellent season so far and, with an awesome putting touch, looks like making birdie every time he finds a green in regulation. James Morrison - The Englishman is perhaps the most "on-form" player on the European Tour at the moment. He won in Madeira and lost in a playoff for the Spanish Open last week. If he continues his run he'll be right up there again this week. Key hole: 17th. At 468 yards it's the second longest par 4 on the course. A pond sits in the middle of the hole and a stream runs up past the left side of the green. The players will have to beware of that hazard, though the bail out to the right is hampered by two large bunkers. Skills required: Course management. With a number of well-placed bunkers and water hazards over an eclectic mix of holes, every shot will be tested and the players will use every club in the bag.

Where next?

Tour news: McIlroy wins Quail Hollow Golf opinion: Fergus Bisset - More than a game Competitions: Win golf prizes

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He has also worked with Golf Monthly to produce a podcast series. Called 18 Majors: The Golf History Show it offers new and in-depth perspectives on some of the most important moments in golf's long history. You can find all the details about it here.

He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly.

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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