Manuel Piñero
The list of achievements of "Manolo" is one of the most complete amongst European players, with a total of 21 national and international victories:
International
1974, Madrid Open
1976, Swiss Open
1977, Penfold PGA Championship
1980, Mazda Cars English Classic
1981, Madrid Open, Swiss Open
1982, European Open Championship, Individual World Cup
1985, Cepsa Madrid Open, Italian Open
Team International:
1981, 1985, Ryder Cup
1991, 1993, 1995, Ryder Cup with Bernard Gallacher
1976, World Cup with Seve Ballesteros
1982, World Cup with José Mª Cañizares
National Spanish Champion
Spanish Champion: 1973, 1974, 1983, 1984, 1989
Spanish Doubles Champion: 1976 with Salvador Balbuena, 1984 with Antonio Garrido and 1985 with his brother Alfonso.
Biography
Manolo was born in Badajoz on the 1st of September 1952 and as a child his parents moved to Madrid, where "purely by chance" he was introduced to the world of golf. One day, his grandmother was taking him to "earn a few pennies" as ball boy at a tennis club, however, before getting there they passed the practice course of the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid and there he stayed. He worked as a caddy until 1969, when he turned professional.
In the 70's and 80's he was one of the continental players who contributed most to the success of golf in Europe, representing both Spain and the Continent in a total of 18 team competitions: Ryder Cup, Dunhill Cup, Hennessy Cup, Double Diamond and World Cup.
His record in the Ryder Cup is one of the best of the five rounds he played in 85, when the European team won, he scored four points, two in the foursomes, one in the four-ball formed by him and Severiano, and the individual against Lanny Wadkins -one of the most in-form players of the American team beating him 3&1. In 81 he also won his individual round, beating Jerry Pate 4&2.
Since 1989 Manolo has lived in Marbella, where he directs with enormous success La Quinta Golf Academy, dividing his time between this and his other work, the design of golf courses.
He is married to Angelines and they are parents of Laura and Natalia.
Manolo and Jimmy, his caddie for 18 years, who he remembers "with very special affection" (he died in 1997), always formed one of the most popular pairs on the European Circuit, where he is acknowledged by everyone for both his conciliatory and diplomatic character, as well as, his good manners.
