Danny Willett has returned to one of his favourite tournament destinations high in the Swiss Alps, hoping it will be all downhill in coming months.
The now 33-year-old Englishman has special memories both on and off this week’s host Crans-Montana course and where he tasted success in 2015.
Willett’s victory was a harbinger to two remarkable milestones, firstly in becoming a father and then seven months after being fitted with the traditional red victors jacket, he was also helped into a Augusta National members green jacket.
“We’ve had some pretty nice results around here with that win in2015 very special”, he said.
Danny Willetts wins 2015 Omega European Masters
“My mum and dad were here that week, the first time they had seen me win for a while. My wife was there as well, she was pregnant at the time so pre-kids.
“We always say the place makes the week for us, and this is one of the best stops on the European Tour, if not any Tour, up here in Crans.
“I’ve played well here in the past, but the golf course has had some changes that last five or six years. They are really trying to listen to the guys and make this into a really good tournament golf course and they are doing that”.
Willett, and currently the world no. 144, will tee-up having missed the cut in last week’s Czech Masters to be ranked 114th on the Race to Dubai while his 142nd FedEx Cup standing means he forfeited automatic PGA Tour membership for the up-coming 2021/22 season given his five-year exemption in winning the 2016 Masters has expired.
As well, Willett is ranked well down in 16th on the ‘European’ table and 18th on the ‘World’ table when it comes to the Ryder Cup
“We’re playing this week and Wentworth, and because my exemption runs out next year on the PGA Tour, we’ll have to play the Fall Series,” he said. “We’ll play the Dunhill, as well. We need a few good weeks.
“This year has been a little topsy turvy so we’ll see how the next few weeks go, and if you are close to that top 60, if you want to play a few more in Europe and get that push up the Race to Dubai, or if you concentrate on the fall in America. It’s still early days”.
Helping Willett is a move to have Jonathan Smart return as his caddy.
“Johantan was on the bag for me in Puntacana earlier in the year as a one off and then he started with me again at The Open”, said Willett.
“Things seem to be pretty good, still early days, we haven’t worked together for about three years. Still trying to zone in on how we talk through things, not too far off how it was a few years ago.
“There are always things we can do better and tinker with, we’ve got a pretty busy run to the end of the year now, so just really trying to nail things down and see if we can have a good finish”.
Willett will play the opening two rounds in the company of the 57-year-old double Crans-Montana winner Miguel Angel Jimenez and also Bernd Wiesberger.
