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Danny Willett will make his first appearance on European soil in this week’s Irish Open Hosted by the Rory Foundation.
Thirty-seven days after his heroics at Augusta National, Willett’s life is only now starting to regain a sense of normality. And whilst the Englishman has undoubtedly enjoyed basking in the limelight, he is equally keen to get back to what he does best: namely winning golf tournaments.
Willett said: “There are a lot of commitments you’ve got to do on and off the golf course. No one really prepares you for that. You can’t quite understand what guys like Rory [McIlroy] and Jordan [Spieth] go through until you experience it yourself.
“My time management has become more important than ever, and I’m still just getting used to everything. I’m sure that as the weeks go on and other guys win events, it will settle down.
“But you’ve got to embrace it and enjoy it. It’s been a busy four weeks and I’ve loved every minute of it, but it’s nice to get back to the day job.”
The four weeks Willett took off following his life-changing victory was the longest break he has taken since joining the pro ranks in 2008.
Understandably, there was a fair degree of rust in the system upon his return to action on the US PGA Tour last week, and a missed cut was not altogether unexpected.
But after a productive session on the practise range on Monday with his two coaches, Pete Cowen and Mike Walker, Willett feels confident of building on the sizeable lead he has established at the top of the Race to Dubai Rankings.
He said: “The main aim is to try to get things back to the way they were, and just try to enjoy it. It’s great to be back in Europe supporting Rory’s event, and hopefully I can have a good week here.
“Obviously the crowds are going to be fantastic. I really enjoy the experience of playing in Ireland. Hopefully I’ll be playing with one of the Irish lads and we’ll get some good support out there.”
The K Club memorably hosted the 2006 Ryder Cup, when Darren Clarke inspired Europe to victory, and Willett will gain his first taste of golf’s greatest team event at Hazeltine National in September.
As part of his meticulous preparations, Captain Clarke invited some potential team members to dinner in Florida last week, and the experience clearly whetted Willett’s appetite.
He said: “It was good to hear Darren speak to the guys and to get in that team environment already. The guys talked about past experiences and talking me through some of the things they think will happen and what you can expect, which was great.
"It was great to hear Rory’s take on things and to spur on all of us rookies. It just gets your juices flowing to hear those things. You hear Clarkey talking about some of his stories, and it makes you want to be a part of it.”
