Willett in contention as Reavie sets early pace

Former Masters champion Danny Willett is just a shot off the lead after the opening round of the CJ Cup in Korea.

Willett carded five birdies and two bogeys in an opening 69 at Nine Bridges on Jeju Island, with American Chez Reavie setting the pace on four under thanks to five birdies and a solitary bogey in his 68.

Ryder Cup star Ian Poulter was a shot behind Willett on two under, with Le Golf National team-mate Paul Casey and former US Open champion Graeme McDowell on one under in the £7.2 million event.

Defending champion Justin Thomas struggled to an opening 73 which included two bogeys and a four-putt double bogey on the fourth.

Only 18 players in the 78-strong field broke par in cold, windy conditions, with Tyrrell Hatton’s adventurous level-par 72 featuring a triple bogey, a double bogey, four birdies and an eagle on the par-five ninth, his final hole.

Willett reached a career high of ninth in the world after claiming his first major title at Augusta National in 2016, but had slumped outside the top 450 earlier this year after suffering numerous injuries and a loss of form.

A missed cut in the French Open was his ninth in 12 events in 2018, but the 31-year-old from Sheffield bounced back to finish sixth in the Irish Open, 19th in the Scottish Open and 24th in the Open Championship.

That result at Carnoustie was his best finish in any major since the 2016 Masters, although he missed the cut three weeks later in the US PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club.

Danny Willett has suffered injuries and a loss of form.