‘It’s unexpected’: Danny Willett on the charge after Masters miracle
Returning way ahead of schedule following shoulder surgery, the 2016 Masters champion surprised even himself with a first round 68
Danny Willett is supposed to be sitting on his sofa. Not shooting a 68 that might just have him dreaming of a second Masters green jacket.
Doctors told the 2016 champ he’d be on the sidelines for at least a year after having surgery following the BMW PGA Championship on a shoulder tear that had bothered him for years.
Now, though, he might just have major ambitions. Somehow he’s managed to make Augusta National his comeback gig.
“[It was] January,” he said when asked when this most unlikely return might be on the cards.
“Kind of in January we all sat down. I obviously couldn’t lift anything for the first six, eight weeks, and then in January we had a bit of a meeting. I’d been out to London to see the guys, and it was getting to where I could do all right, somewhat swing a club properly, but the strength was there.
“It was only a case of then – now that we know we’re not going to reinjure it, we really pressed on in January, and we had a really, really intense few months.
“That’s just one of those, isn’t it? Someone gives you something to do, and this was always kind of there. Apart from this week coming, I’m not playing for another seven weeks.”
Danny Willett shoots first round 68: ‘I had no idea what to expect’
Willett admitted he only made the decision to definitely play at Augusta National on Sunday when he played 27 holes and woke up the next day with no pain.
But to say what he then did in the first round was unexpected would be an understatement. He raced to three under through eight, but in tricky, swirling, winds slipped back, only to find three birdies in his last four holes.
“It was never an issue of whether or not the shoulder was strong enough, it was whether or not I could hit the shots I wanted to,” he added.
“There was a couple there on 9 and 10 that weren’t great, certain shots, certain winds still are a bit tricky. But for the most part [I] then kept the ball under really good control and kept it in the areas that we know we can score from.
“On a day like today when it’s pumping like this, again, the greens are obviously soft, but they’ve still got plenty of speed in them.
“I had no idea what to expect, so it’s obviously always nice to come in having shot a decent score, and just give yourself that little bit of confidence inside and hopefully have a nice few more days.”
Now have your say on Danny Willett’s Masters miracle
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Steve Carroll
A journalist for 25 years, Steve has been immersed in club golf for almost as long. A former club captain, he has passed the Level 3 Rules of Golf exam with distinction having attended the R&A's prestigious Tournament Administrators and Referees Seminar.
Steve has officiated at a host of high-profile tournaments, including Open Regional Qualifying, PGA Fourball Championship, English Men's Senior Amateur, and the North of England Amateur Championship. In 2023, he made his international debut as part of the team that refereed England vs Switzerland U16 girls.
A part of NCG's Top 100s panel, Steve has a particular love of links golf and is frantically trying to restore his single-figure handicap. He currently floats at around 11.
Steve plays at Close House, in Newcastle, and York GC, where he is a member of the club's matches and competitions committee and referees the annual 36-hole scratch York Rose Bowl.
Having studied history at Newcastle University, he became a journalist having passed his NTCJ exams at Darlington College of Technology.
What's in Steve's bag: TaylorMade Stealth 2 driver, 3-wood, and hybrids; TaylorMade Stealth 2 irons; TaylorMade Hi-Toe, Ping ChipR, Sik Putter.
