England’s Danny Willett continues to impress at the game’s highest level to be in a four-way share of fourth place at four-under par on the first day of the WGC – Cadillac Championship.

Willett, who is due to become a father for a first time next month, has had top-three finishes in his past three appearances in the elite World Golf events.

The Callaway golfer was level par through three holes with a birdie at birdie at two but then dropped a shot at the next ahead of the then parring eight holes but then playing his closing seven holes in four under for his score of 68.

Danny Willett speaking after posting a four under par 68.

It left Willett trailing just two shots behind the leading duo of Australia’s Marcus Fraser and American Scott Piercy, and after both had move to seven under par but to then bogey their closing hole.

“It was nice and solid and I played a lot of good golf,” said Willett.

“I probably didn’t hit loads of fairways statistically-wise, but we were never really in trouble. We were just in the semi just off. Very decent ballstriking day, 16 greens, probably 30 putts around the golf course. Around here, the Blue Monster, you’d take that every day of the week”.

Qn. You’ve given yourself a platform for the season; is this the sort of week now that all the world’s top players are coming together that you’re looking for it to prosper further?

DANNY WILLETT: It’s a good one like that. The WGC, HSBC was the same. We had a good last round there to propel our way up there and we’ve played good at the WGCs last year and tripped in a couple of good major performances. It’s at the stage now where theoretically speaking, you should be up there and contending obviously with the World Ranking but obviously it doesn’t always go like that. Sometimes it takes a little bit longer to get yourself into these World Golf Championships and into majors and to compete. Like I said before, we’re just doing the right things day by day, and fortunately like I say, we’ve tripped a few good numbers in.

Qn. That’s the message, isn’t it, in terms of maintaining momentum, there’s a real sense of momentum about your golf at the moment?

DANNY WILLETT: Yeah, just to try to not go backwards again, make sure the body stays fit and healthy, which is a massive thing for me. Just keep working as diligently as we are at the right things. You’re going to have good days and bad days, but more often than not, if you’re working hard at the right things, you’ll hopefully have more good than bad.

Qn. Exciting times in life in general with the baby on the way?

DANNY WILLETT: It is, still five, six weeks left, so I’m just going to try and smash the next few weeks and try and play well and then hopefully it will give me the freedom to have a little bit of time off.