The Terrace

London, England -- Teenage sensation Matteo Massanero hit a bogey-free round of 64 to take charge of the European Masters event in the Swiss Alps.

The 17-year-old Italian made seven birdies on the Crans-sur-Sierre course as he opened up a one shot lead on Englishman Graeme Storm and Finland's Mikko Ilonen.

Massanero, who only turned professional in May, is battling for a Tour card and did his chances no harm with a sparkling opening round.

"It was the perfect round," Manassero told the European Tour's official website. "I didn't miss many greens and when I did I recovered well with up and downs.

"I don't think I could have expected better. I think seven-under is the best. I think I shot a six under in Geneva but this is definitely one of my best rounds since I turned pro and I think it is the lowest."

Fellow Italian Edoardo Molinari continued the strong form that saw him included in the European Ryder Cup team as one of captain Colin Montgomerie's wild card picks. He won the Johnnie Walker Classic at Gleneagles on Sunday to clinch his place.

He's on five-under, one shot ahead of a big chasing pack that includes European Ryder Cup vice-captain Darren Clarke and Miguel Angel Jimenez, who will also be part of the team that tries to wrest the famous trophy back from America.

Massanero says the inclusion in the team of Edoardo and his brother Francesco, is great news for Italian golf.

"What Edoardo did was pretty unbelievable," said Manassero. "You don't see that very often to win a championship and then to be picked for the Ryder Cup with his brother was something to inspire everybody, not just me.

"He is in the best moment of his life, just won a championship, made the Ryder Cup team; it's been a fantastic year for him.

"It's very good to have two top players in the world and Ryder Cup players that are close to you, come from the same country and introduce you to that life. It's a big inspiration for me and all the guys growing up in Italy."

Spain's Jimenez fired an opening round 67 in his 22nd consecutive appearance at the tournament and afterwards he revealed his formula for success. He said: "My secret is drinking good wine and sleeping well! A 67 is good -- anything under par is good here.

"I still love the game and enjoy it. Now it is more relaxing after the pressure of trying to make the Ryder Cup team.

"Thank goodness that is finished and I have much more freedom. I love to come here in the Alps, it's very relaxing. I will take next week off and then play Austria before the Ryder Cup."

---Ref: kqube.com

Matteo Massanero Wins Italy's Golf Amateur Championship

Need some help in the body-image department? (Don’t we all!) Tap into these expert strategies to take your self-image from OK to off the charts.

Change Your Mantra

What thoughts usually go through your head? I wish I had thinner thighs? Why can’t I have a flat stomach? I hate my butt? Sound familiar? You can stop these thoughts and feel better about your body by doing a simple thing, says Patricia Farrell, Ph.D., a psychologist in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, and the author of How to Be Your Own Therapist.

“Create a new mantra—something you can repeat that will reinforce that you are strong, beautiful and worthy,” she says. Some ideas to get you started: “I am thankful that I have a strong, healthy body” or “Outer beauty comes from inner strength.”

Write Yourself Love Notes

You would drop a little love note in your boyfriend’s lunch, so why not do the same for yourself, suggests Farrell. It might feel a little odd at first, but she suggests leaving sticky notes around the house—everywhere from your bathroom mirror to the door of your refrigerator—to remind yourself of your beauty and your worth.

They can be funny (“Hey, hottie!”), thoughtful (“What should a chair and a body have in common? You should be comfortable in them”) or motivating (“The ice cream carton will not make us happier”).

Be a Little Childish

Paula Bloom, Ph.D., an Atlanta clinical psychologist and speaker, says the best body-image lesson comes from children. “When my daughter was two, someone came up to her and said, ‘You are so pretty,’” she says. “She responded, ‘I’m not pretty, I’m Rachel.’ Kids seem to intuitively know that they are what they are. She couldn’t fathom being called anything but her name.”

Take Bloom’s challenge and try to re-create that for yourself. Allow yourself to run, play or splash around in a pool with zero concern about how you look doing it.

Go Shopping

A lot of women hang on to clothes that are too small, hoping they’ll lose weight and be able to fit into them again, says Bloom. Although it isn’t a bad idea to save your clothes, it might be best to box them up for now, because they could be sabotaging your body image.

“Being assaulted every morning by things in your closet that don’t fit does not make for a positive start to the day,” she says. Instead, do a little shopping for clothes that are both comfortable and cute—in the size you are now.

Get a Massage

You already know that massage is a great stress reliever, but did you know that it could also make you feel better about your body? “Touch releases some really delicious hormones, like oxytocin, which flood us with feelings of well-being and safety,” says Tina Tessina, Ph.D., a psychotherapist and author in Long Beach, California. It’s common, she says, for women to leave a massage treatment feeling at peace with their bodies.

Can’t afford a massage? “Holding a baby or even petting your dog or cat will also have the same effect,” she says.

Focus on How Your Body Feels

If body insecurities are affecting your ability to enjoy sex, Debby Herbenick, Ph.D., author of Because It Feels Good: A Woman’s Guide to Sexual Pleasure and Satisfaction, has the tip for you. Instead of agonizing about the way your body looks, think about the way it feels.

“Stay in the moment,” she says. “Focus on how the sheets feel against your skin, how your hand feels on your partner’s back or butt and how your bodies feel as they move together.” This, she says, can increase arousal, reduce any body hang-ups you may have and make it easier to orgasm.

Try This $2.99 Bathroom Trick

One of the best things a woman can do to feel better about herself is to start the day with a healthy, positive view of herself, says Tessina. She suggests you try this one cheap and easy thing: Toss any unflattering, glaringly bright bathroom lightbulbs and replace them with softer bulbs. “It’s such a cheap and easy fix,” says Tessina, “and it can help you start the day feeling so much better about the way you look.”

Remember That Everyone Feels Inadequate Sometimes

Think you’re the only one who looks in the mirror and sometimes sees a sumo wrestler instead of the true beauty that you are? We promise, you’re not alone. Even the most physically fit people struggle with feelings of body inadequacy.

Here’s proof: According to a recent study, Spanish researchers found that many professional soccer players (you know, the ones with toned butts, rock-hard abs and to-die-for legs) reported dissatisfaction with their physique. The takeaway? Whether you’re overweight, super fit or somewhere in between, you may always be dissatisfied with your body unless you tackle what’s inside and find the confidence you need to accept yourself just the way you are.

Source: GLAMOUR MAGAZINE