Italian Open/Castello Di Tolcinasco GC, On TV: Sky Sports 1, 10.30: Briton Steve Webster hopes tips from Seve Ballesteros will help him claim back-to-back Italian Open titles.
Webster took 10 years to realise the potential he showed when winning the 1995 silver medal as best amateur in the British Open and then the European Tour qualifying school of that year.
His victory last year at the Arnold Palmer-designed Tolcinasco course near Milan finally earned him a European Tour title and the 31-year-old from the English midlands is now keen to double up on his "Italian job".
Five times major champion Ballesteros, despite suffering an ailing swing himself, could provide the key to winning this week, Webster said yesterday.
"I've had a load of practice rounds with Seve since meeting him when we played together in South Africa a few years ago and I practised with him last week before the Spanish Open and picked his brains," said Webster, 54th on Europe's money list.
"He has just given me a bit of confidence with my short game. He showed me a few techniques which will help because he is probably still one of the best in the world when it comes to the short game.
"He told me last week about one of his British Open wins when he was in 15 bunkers and got up and down out of 14 of them."
Ballesteros also gave Webster a sharp reminder: "He told me I was good enough to contend, even in the majors, so I know I have to get my head down and try to win a couple of times in Europe and get into the top 50 in the world. I know I should be there but you have got to do it - end of story."
Webster's chief rival could be the highest-ranked player in the tournament, Argentina's Angel Cabrera, the world number 25.
Cabrera is tuning up before defending his BMW Championship title this month at Wentworth, England. It is only the second regular European Tour event this year for the big-hitting 36-year-old, but he arrives in good form after finishing eighth in the US Masters last month.
Ryder Cup captain Ian Woosnam is also in the field. The former Masters champion has been paired with Portuguese Open winner, Paul Broadhurst.
There is also the Irish challenge. Stephen Browne will hope to build on his first paycheque of the season, earned for his tied-20th finish in the Spanish Open at San Roque last week.
The Dubliner will by joined in Milan by David Higgins, Michael Hoey and Brian McElhinney, who missed the cut last week in the Tessali Open on the Challenge Tour but makes his full tour debut thanks to a sponsor's invitation.
