Former Masters champion from Sheffield shows some steel again and is just two shots off the lead at Ballyliffin

Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn welcomed the return of the “Danny Willett of old” after witnessing the former Masters champion’s heartening revival at first hand in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.

Willett reached a career-high of ninth in the world after claiming his first major title at Augusta National in 2016, but has slumped to 442nd in the rankings after suffering numerous injuries and a loss of form.

A missed cut in last week’s French Open was his ninth in 12 events this season, but the 30-year-old from Sheffield added a second round of 70 to his opening 68 at Ballyliffin to lie just two shots off the halfway lead shared by Ryan Fox, Matthieu Pavon and Erik van Rooyen in the £5.3 million event.

Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren is a shot off the lead on seven under, with Willett joined on six under by compatriot Sam Horsfield and South African Zander Lombard.

Lee Westwood, who will be one of Bjorn’s vice-captains in Paris in September, is a shot further back on five under, while tournament host Rory Mcilroy is seven off the pace after a disappointing 73.

“It’s been tough to see somebody that good struggle for that amount of time but today was the Danny Willett of old and it’s nice to see,” Bjorn, who carded a 71 to finish level par, told Press Association Sport.

“When you’re in that situation the Ryder Cup and all those things are so far from your mind, you’re working on a project that goes from day to day. Having two days like this is important, now comes the hard part of going the next two and enjoying it because you’ve done all the hard work to get back to here.”

Willett is relieved to finally be injury free after back and shoulder problems, while he also struggled with a torn meniscus in his knee during the Italian Open, where he finished eighth, which almost forced him to withdraw from the US Open.

Although a late tee time on Saturday will mean missing England’s World Cup quarter-final against Sweden, that might not be a bad thing given that at least one member of his family will be supporting the opposition.