Danny Willett’s Triumphant Return at The Masters After Shoulder Surgery
Former Masters champion Danny Willett stuns with a 68 at The Masters following shoulder surgery, defying expectations. Willett’s remarkable recovery and performance showcase his determination and skill on the golf course.
Former Masters champion Danny Willett made a surprising return to form on the opening day of the prestigious golf tournament, carding an impressive 68 just six months after undergoing shoulder surgery.
Willett, who won his maiden major title at Augusta National in 2016, admitted he had no expectations heading into the first round, having feared he would be sidelined for up to a year following the procedure. However, the Englishman defied the odds, recording seven birdies and three bogeys to place himself firmly in contention.
“It’s unexpected, isn’t it?” Willett said. “I had no idea what to expect, so yeah, it’s obviously always nice to come in having shot a decent score and just give yourself that little bit of confidence inside and hopefully have a nice few more days.”
The 35-year-old had undergone surgery to repair two tears in his left shoulder and remove cysts following the BMW PGA Championship last September. He had initially feared the worst, but his recovery process proved quicker than anticipated, allowing him to tee off at The Masters well ahead of schedule.
“I obviously couldn’t lift anything for the first six, eight weeks and then in January it was getting to where I could do all right, somewhat swing a club properly, but the strength was there,” Willett explained. “It was only then, to know we’re not going to re-injure it, we really pressed on in January, and we had a really, really intense few months.”
Willett’s strong start at Augusta National has given him a much-needed confidence boost as he looks to build on his momentum and put himself in contention for the title he won seven years ago. The Englishman was understandably delighted with his performance, particularly after birdieing three of the final four holes to card a 68.
- “Nice finish there to birdie three of them last four holes instead of posting an all right score of level-ish, which would, again, for me have been an amazing achievement, but to shoot 68, yeah, really happy,” Willett said.
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