Danny Willett was not expected to even show up to the Masters this week, as he was the last person to register for the tournament, Willett, 28, walked off the 18th hole fairway as a Masters Champion and as a new father. The annual Masters Golf tournament featured a rollercoaster of emotions and expectations of some of the more ambitious PGA players.
This tournament featured many of the golf world’s biggest acts, with astounding efforts by Americans; Dustin Johnson and J.B Holmes; Japanese golfer Hideki Matsuyama; and European competitors Justin Rose, Lee Westwood and Paul Casey. A true potpourri of players from around the globe facing the harsh winds and the fast greens of Augusta.
The first round felt like déjà vu from last year’s Masters, with Spieth throwing a 66 up on the board — the lowest score during the entire tournament. New Zealander Danny Lee was close behind with a 68, scoring 6 birdies and 2 bogeys.
In the second round, Willett and Spieth scored 74. In the third round, Willett remained at even par, while Spieth gained one stroke. In the fourth round, Jordan Spieth shot. a quadruple bogey at the 12th hole. The 12th hole finished on the fourth round with Spieth at +4 — sending him from his comfortable lead of -5 to in fourth place at -1. At this point, Danny Willett was making his move, scoring a birdie on 13, 14 and 16 — moving to his eventual tournament-winning round of -5. Spieth finished tied for second at -2.
The stakes of this tournament were high for a lot of reasons. Rory Mcilroy — former world No. 1 — was looking for a grand slam win by winning all top golf majors. Jordan Spieth — last year’s Masters Winner — was looking for a back-to-back victory, and to capture the imagination of fans expecting Spieth to climb to the heights of Tiger Woods. For Danny Willett, this win came by surprise. On the 18th green, Willett two-putted his last hole, but left smiling in relief.
This Masters tournament was also the last effort by seasoned veteran golfer Tom Watson. The two-time Masters Champion made his way through Augusta, finishing with a 78.
For Jordan Spieth, the nightmare at the twelfth hole may have been fresh in his mind as he threw the green jacket over the back of the new Masters Champion, Danny Willett. This is Danny Willett’s first major win and first win on the PGA tour.
In a tweet from Jack Nicklaus — a six-time Master’s Champion — the golfing legend said “…he had a chance to do something truly special and something very few have done before.” He also went on to congratulate Willett, who became a father a week before entering the Masters Tournament.
The next Masters Tournament is scheduled for April 3-9, 2017.
The Slate welcomes thoughtful discussion on all of our stories, but please keep comments civil and on-topic. Read our full guidelines here.