Half-swedish Willett delighted to avoid World Cup divided loyalties

With his half-english, half-swedish heritage, Danny Willett is quite relieved that he will be at work when the World Cup quarter-final kicksoff this afternoon. Courtesy of his resurgent display at the Irish Open, the 2016 Masters champion is only two off the halfway pace.

“My mum is Swedish and she’ll be at home cheering them on, so I really am going to be caught up in it,” Willett said following his 70 at Ballyliffin. “The golf course might be the safest place to be.”

In truth, Willett is delighted not to have Saturday off – there have been more than enough inactive “moving days” this season. Out of the 12 events he has played in 2018, he has made the cut only twice.

He was ranked in the world’s top nine 20 months ago but his slump has been so profound that he now stands 442nd. After his eighth place in last month’s Italian Open – his first top 15 in 15 months – he believes the only way is up.

“Things have been going well in practice, but you don’t always get the results, so that was great to knock off a decent finish there and move forward,” he said. “The body is now 100 per cent and it’s nice to come out and hit the shots and actually perform under pressure.”

Willett is in a group on six under chasing the leaders, Kiwi Ryan Fox and Frenchman Matthieu Pavon. Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren is on seven-under, while alongside Willett is fellow Englishman Sam Horsfield. On five under is veteran Lee Westwood after a 71.

Rory Mcilroy admitted that his poor putting once again “tested my patience” after a 73 left him on one under. “But I’m here for the weekend and at least given myself an opportunity to go low,” he said.