MUST-READ: 10 things you need to know about Masters champ Danny Willett

By Australian Golf Digest

By Joel Beall/Golf Digest

1. Willett Almost Didn’t Play In The 2016 Masters

When Danny’s wife, Nicole, was pregnant, her original due date was April 10, Masters Sunday. Luckily for Danny, Nicole delivered a healthy son on March 29, allowing Willett to stay in the Masters field.

2. Willett Would Play Golf In A Sheep’s Meadow Growing Up

“We used to go to Anglesey to play a par-3 course in the middle of a sheep field,” he told reporters in 2015. “You skip it forward 17 years and you’ve got an invite to the Masters. It’s just a bit crazy really.”

3. Willett Was The World’s No. 1 Amateur

Willett reached this ranking in 2008, holding the top spot for 12 weeks. When he turned pro, Rickie Fowler claimed the No. 1 amateur distinction.
Danny-Willett-amateur

4. Willett’s Father Is A Vicor (Priest) For The Church Of England

Willett’s father couldn’t make it to the 2015 British Open to watch him play because he was scheduled to conduct a baptism.

5. Willett Sponsors A Junior Program

The program helps transition kids from junior golf to adult courses. And here’s the best part: The group is called “The Wee Willetts.”

6. Willett Battles A Nagging Back Issue

The problem has resulted in numerous withdrawals from tournaments. “It’s an ongoing thing and is sometimes not great,” he said after his Masters win. “When it’s cold, I struggle. … I have to watch myself. I can practise as much as I want most of the time. But I have to make sure I move correctly and do all the stretches both before and after. I have to stay loose.”

7. Willett Won His First Professional Tournament In A Four-Hole Playoff

He knocked off Aussie Marcus Fraser on the fourth sudden-death hole with a par, claiming the 2012 BMW International Open.

8. Willett Was A Member Of The 2007 Walker Cup

Also on the Great Britain & Ireland team was Rory McIlroy. The American squad would win the match at Royal County Down.
Danny-Willett-Walker-Cup

9. Willett’s Brother P.J. Is Hilarious On Twitter

During the final round of the Masters, P.J.’s Twitter feed was filled with hysterical observations and rants. As many commentators noted after Willett’s win at Augusta, “Danny may have won the green jacket, but his brother ‘won’ Twitter.”
pj-willett-twitter

10. Willett Is Only The Second Englishman To Win The Masters

The first? Nick Faldo, who won the tournament three times.