A whole new world is set to open up for Danny Willett, career-wise and financially, but the Englishman doesn't intend to alter his schedule and will honour a commitment to play in next month's Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at The K Club.
As such, Willett – who has moved to ninth in the latest world rankings – will become the first reigning Masters champion to play in an Irish Open since José Maria Olazabal in 1994, when the event was held at Mount Juliet.
Willett’s focus, indeed, will be mainly on the European Tour and he has deferred taking up his PGA Tour card in the United States until next season so that he can adjust to family life, with the recent arrival of a new baby.
In winning a first career Major, Willett – who played for Britain and Ireland in the Walker Cup at Royal County Down in 2007 – has taken a significant step forward.
And his manager Chubby Chandler, of ISM, claimed: “He knows just exactly what he’s trying to do. Winning the Masters is the start of the journey, not the end of the journey . . . Danny thinks he can get to world number one! Danny can become one of the greats of his time!”
For sure, Willett – who chased down Rory McIlroy in last year’s Race to Dubai – has shown dedication of his own to get to this point.
A bad back affected his early years on tour and it was only after a dedicated gym programme that the problem was alleviated. Where he goes on tour his trainer also goes, and a regular monthly check-up on the back is an ongoing process.
As Chandler revealed of his player’s ongoing fixation with wellbeing: “Over Christmas he had his blood and sweat tested, just to get everything right. He lives his life unbelievably well.”
Willett and wife, Nicole, had their first baby – Zachariah – on March 30th, almost two weeks before the due date, which, ironically, was last Sunday.
The earlier arrival meant Willett was able to play in the Masters, but he was the very last player – 89th – to check in. It was the same number as Jack Nicklaus had when he won his last Masters in 1986.
Nicklaus, who watched the drama unfold on television, posted his reaction to Willett’s win: “What impressed me so much is that when he realised he was in a position to win, he finished it – and that’s the mark of a champion. To finish a good round, give yourself an opportunity to win, and when the other fellow doesn’t finish, you’ve got to be there. Danny Willett was and kudos to him.”
Willett took up golf as a boy because his brothers were better than him at football and running.
His swing was honed working with coach Mike Walker, and has developed into one of the purest on tour.
“Every time you’re going to the range you’re going there to try to get better, to try to get that extra half or one per cent better,” he says.
Willett’s upcoming tournament schedule remains unchanged from the itinerary mapped out before his Masters triumph: he will resume playing at The Players at Sawgrass, followed by the Irish Open and then the European Tour’s flagship tournament, the BMW PGA at Wentworth.
Further down the line, Willett is set to play for Britain in the Olympics and is already guaranteed a place on Darren Clarke's Europe team for the Ryder Cup. And, perhaps, maybe, he is the twentysomething most likely to join the "Big Three" of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day.
Meanwhile, the European Tour has confirmed that the 2017 staging of the Irish Open – originally pencilled in for Lough Erne resort, outside Enniskillen – will not take place at the venue. It is expected Portstewart could emerge as a viable, alternative option.
