Danny Willett’s surprise victory at the 80th Masters has nearly certainly secured him a rookie appearance for Europe’s Ryder Cup team in September. Defending champion Jordan Spieth, after four straight birdies to finish the first nine at four under 32, took to the second nine a five stroke lead. Dustin Johnson has yet to land one of the big four.
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At least Spieth has no Masters monkey on his back having won at Augusta National a year ago.
Willett’s wife Nicole had been due to give birth to the couple’s first child on Sunday, but the need for a C-section meant Zachariah James Willett arrived on March 29 to allow his proud dad to play in the year’s first major. “It’s just a insane, crazy week”.
He became only the second Englishman to win the coveted Green Jacket, following three-time champion Nick Faldo, and ended a barren title run by Europeans dating back to Spaniard Jose Maria Olazabal’s second victory here in 1999. Faldo also shot a 67 and overcame a six-shot deficit when Greg Norman collapsed around Amen Corner. Willett finished at 5-under 283.
The most compelling images came from the guy who suffered.
” I started hitting balls again on Friday”. He got up-and-down from the back bunker, and suddenly faced a three-shot deficit.
“I’ve watched Danny Willett play on television a few times and when I’ve seen him swing the golf club, I have thought, ‘Well, this young man looks like he’s a pretty darn good player.’ He had moved himself up to 12th in the world, so he’s obviously done something right and was playing very good golf coming into Augusta”. And fortunately enough I was able to relive some of those dreams.
The 28-year-old was far from a household name before taking advantage of Jordan Spieth’s collapse to become the first British player in 20 years to win the Masters. All he needed to do was seal the deal by protecting a big lead on the back nine Sunday. “Winning the Masters is the start of the journey, not the end of the journey”, said Chandler.
Spieth made bogey from the bunker on the10th.
“I remember Danny coming here with his father while on a family holiday”, he said.
The turnaround left him dazed.
Willett poured it on with a shot into the 14th to about 4 feet, and a tee shot on the par-3 16th to 7 feet for a birdie that stretched his lead.
The bogeys on 10 and 11 were not fatal but finding the water on the short par-three 12th via the bank in front of the green was a different matter.
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Jordan Spieth insisted he’ll bounce back from his Masters final-round meltdown, and Las Vegas agrees. He returns home to England with a gift like no other for his infant son. “I think the whole golfing world feels for Jordan Spieth”, the 18-time majors victor wrote. “But I’m sure… he’ll grow into it”.
