Video: Exclusive interview with Masters Champion Danny Willett
A week after winning the Masters, Danny Willett was back at his club – Rotherham.
We asked him about the role it has played in his life.
“Rotherham Golf Club has been massive. They have always had a fantastic junior section. Lol Morgan (junior organiser) was always the leader in that.
“He worked for Sheffield Union of Golf Clubs for a massive amount of time and helped nurture young talent around South Yorkshire. Luckily enough for me, I was able to join here when I was younger and play with a lot of fantastic golfers.
“We were all kind of pushing each other on to get better and play well. Some of them are still playing, and playing really well, and some of them have stopped playing. I was able to keep playing and to be where I am.
“I have got a lot of friends here. A lot of close friends and I am able to still come back now, have a drink in the bar, just be one of the lads again and go out and have a knock.
“I had to work hard. There were already a couple of lads here who were a lot better than me. I just kept working hard and doing my thing and, slowly, I progressed and took over a little bit.”
“Graham Walker was a coach of mine for a long, long time – through Sheffield days, Yorkshire days and England days. It was 10+ years with Graham of working hard. He was a massive father figure to me, to help me through a lot of tough and good situations and work really hard.
“Family and friends have helped me along the way and kept me grounded, kept me normal, kept a reality check and everything. All of that stuff helps.
“You don’t really have a childhood, between 14 and 20, I guess. They are really crucial years in golf development. You are here after school, working, you have got to try and fit in doing your homework with practising for a few hours.
“At weekends, you are in the medals. You are in the junior opens. Your mum and dad are driving you up and down the country to play in these different things and you don’t just get to go and play out when you are a kid and do that stuff.
“You have got to put the hours in and, if you are going to go to college in America, or play for England, you are then away for a few months of the year training with them – in Spain or in Australia. You look back now and, yeah, I didn’t get to go and ride my bike as much as other kids but I would much rather be sat here now wearing a Green Jacket.”
Read more
- Masters 2016: What’s in Danny Willett’s winning bag?
- Masters 2016: Sheffield’s Danny Willett wins as Jordan Spieth implodes
- Masters 2016: Willett’s Green Jacket out of the blue
Mark Townsend
Been watching and playing golf since the early 80s and generally still stuck in this period. Huge fan of all things Robert Rock, less so white belts. Handicap of 8, fragile mind and short game