Willett says ‘tricky’ build-up hit European hopes

Danny Willett believes a “tricky” build-up for Europe to the 43rd Ryder Cup contributed to Padraig Harrington’s team being hit by a US juggernaut at Whistling Straits.

The Englishman described his experience in the transatlantic tussle as “s***” when he was on a team that suffered a heavy defeat at Hazeltine in 2016.

“I was waiting for someone to repeat my assessment in the press conference,” said Willett as he offered his views on Europe’s record 19-9 defeat in the 43rd edition at Whistling Straits. “But no one did.”

On the back of Sunday’s stunning victory in Wisconsin, some people have been predicting the Americans to dominate the biennial event for the next 20 years. But Willett reckons the Europeans can bounce back in Italy in 2023, just as they did after that Hazeltine defeat with a seven-point success at Le Golf National in France three years ago,

“I’m not sure you can predict 20 years of dominance from one match,” said Willett, speaking in St Andrews as he prepared to tee up in this week’s 20th Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. “You can have that opinion, but that is all it is. The Covid stuff has been so tricky for the European Tour. Trying to get the lads together had been tricky. So it’s been tough to get the same level of camaraderie.

“Some of them have been in America, in Europe, playing in different bubbles. It’s been a very different scenario for young European golfers as opposed to young Americans.

“Hopefully we can get that back when things return to normal. Two years is a long time.”