Ten years after his maiden major triumph, Danny Willett revisits the week that changed his career at Augusta National.
Danny Willett has reflected on one of sport’s most dramatic turnarounds, marking a decade since his 2016 Masters victory at Augusta National. The Englishman’s triumph came through a remarkable shift in fortune during the final round, when PGA Tour rival Jordan Spieth suffered a costly collapse at Amen Corner.
Speaking about the watershed moment, Willett recalled the pivotal sequence of events on the back nine. “I had a slow start, turned a couple under, and made up some ground,” he explained. “Then I got birdies at 13 and 14, tapped in for par on 15, and at that moment everything changed.”
The turning point was sudden and dramatic. As Willett stood on the 15th green, the leaderboard behind him told an extraordinary story. “The big leaderboard on 15 flipped from Pete Jordan making his mess on 12. In the split-second there, we’d gone from three behind to me leading Danny Willett by two. In the space of 20 minutes, the entire golf tournament was flipped upside down.”
A Historic Finish at Augusta
Willett’s ability to capitalise on the shift proved decisive. He finished with a final-round 67 to secure his first major championship, denying Spieth what would have been his fourth green jacket. The victory remained one of his career highlights, despite the challenging decade that followed.
“When you come into the last few groups and shoot 67, you’ve done your bit,” Willett reflected. “But you’ve got to be in the position where shooting 67 means something. Shooting 67 in last place doesn’t do anything, so pinning around the lead all week gave myself a chance.”
The Long Road Since 2016
Now 38 years old, Willett acknowledged that the past ten years have tested his resolve. Multiple injuries, surgeries, and extended periods away from competition have interrupted his career trajectory. Yet his affection for Augusta National and what he achieved there remains undiminished.
“I’ve had a tough 10 years with injuries and surgery and bits of being out,” he said candidly. “But there’s still that little bit inside that wants to keep driving on and wants to keep trying to perform. And yeah, it’s nice when you can come back to a place that you’ve got so many great memories.”
Willett’s recollections underscore the enduring impact of major championship victory. A decade on, he retains vivid detail about his triumph. “I can still remember every shot from 10 years ago, everything—all the clubs,” he noted. “It was just a magical week.”
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