Masters champ Danny Willett’s emerged from a two-year victory drought to brilliantly muscle his way into contention heading to the weekend round of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Ballliffin.
Willett, 30 fought back from an early round double bogey to post a two-under par 70 and move into a clubhouse share of second on six-under par in continuing ideal conditions on the acclaimed Pat Ruddy designed Glashedy course.
The Sheffield-born Willett has been in a virtual golfing wilderness since early 2016 when he won the Dubai Desert Classic and then stood-up to be fitted with a Augusta National members green jacket.
Danny Willett on route to finishing T2nd through two rounds of the 2018 Irish Open. (IPhoto – www.europeantour.com)
The closest the currently World No. 442, and who had reached a career high of No. 9 in the world in winning the Masters, has again come close to tasting success was sixth late last year in the Hong Kong Open and with Willett showing recent good form in ending T8th in last month’s Italian Open.
“When you start seeing the shots, you start to play slightly more clever golf,” he said.
“When you’re struggling, it’s very hard to hit it — you’re trying to hit it to safe sides, especially golf courses like last week and this week.
“It gives you a little bit of a buffer in there. Yeah, like I said, the results don’t always come but it is nice that we’ve got a couple of nice rounds together here and we’re playing the next three weeks.
“It’s nice to hopefully build momentum.”
The only downside for the likes of Willett and ‘Three Lions’ golfing compatriot, Lee Westwood and just a stroke behind Willett, is they will on course Saturday when England tackle Sweden.
“It will be all right. I’m sure they will do all right without me watching,” said Willett.
“We’ll have to get the television crew to keep us updated”.
Tournament host, Rory McIlroy guaranteed himself an earlier tee time after what was really an ‘ugly’ second round 73 that dropped McIlroy back to one-under par.
“I bogeyed three of the last five or something like that, which isn’t great, but I played okay again,” he said.
“The game felt okay. Didn’t hole anything again on the greens but hopefully I can turn that around over the weekend.”
The trio of Kiwi Ryan Fox (69), Frenchman Mattieu Pavon (68) and South African Erik Van Rooyen (65) head the event by a stroke at eight-under par.
Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren (68), and winner of this year’s Sicilian Open, is in forurth place at seven-under par.
