TEN THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT  NEW MASTERS CHAMPION – DANNY WILLETT

SON OF A PREACHER MAN – Willett’s father is a vicar in Sheffield and his mother is a maths teacher at a comprehensive school in Barnsley.   In spite of that, Willett left school at age 16.

PLAYED GOLF IN SHEEP PADDOCK – At the age of nine, he used to play on a par three course in in the middle an Anglesey sheep paddock in Wales while on school holidays.

COLLEGE IN ALABAMA – Despite being born and raised in Yorkshire, Willett left Sheffield to play two seasons of golf at Jacksonville University, Alabama.  In 2006 Willett was Ohio Valley ‘Freshman of the Year’ and won medallist honours in 2007.  However, he returned home without a degree.  In 2008, and before turning pro, he was the No. 1 ranked amateur.

SAME TEAM AS RORY, JORDAN, RICKIE AND DUSTIN – Willett played in the 2007 GB & I Walker Cup team as Rory McIlroy.  On the opposing and winning USA Team was Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Billy Horschel, Rickie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark (who led going into final round of last fortnight’s Shell Houston Open.

Danny Willett back row right as a member of the 2007 GB & I Walker Cup side

WEE WILLETTS – Willett represents the ‘Wee Willetts’ a concept developed when three local Yorkshire clubs (Phoenix GC, Sitwell Park GC and Bondhay GC) joined forces to help budding young golfers make the transition from ‘pre-junior’ golf on academy courses to experience playing on ‘real’ golf courses.  Willett is the patron and allowed his name to be used hence the ‘Wee Willetts’.

FATHER TO ‘SPIKE’ – Willett is obsessed with ‘pugs’.  Before the birth of his young son, Willett described himself as –‘father to married Nicole Willett and father to ‘Spike’ Willett our pug!  His timeline contains many pictures of Spike.

FIVE TOUR WINS – Willett has now won five times on the European Tour. His other victories came at the 2012 BMW International Open, the 2014 Nedbank Golf Challenge, the 2015 Omega European Masters and the 2016 Dubai Desert Classic.

NEW WORLD NO. 9 – Willett has now moved to 9th in the Official World Golf Ranking. A year ago, he was ranked outside the top 100.

MAKING RYDER CUP DEBUT – Willett now leads the European and World Points Lists and is guaranteed to be part of Darren Clarke’s 2016 Ryder Cup team at Hazeltine.

NOW OWNS TWO JACKETS – Willett was fitted with a red jacket in winning European Masters and now a green Masters Jacket – both size 38R