Danny Willett hails 'crazy' Masters triumph

Danny Willett spoke of fate as he hailed a 'crazy' week in Augusta that ended with him as Masters champion.
Danny Willett salutes the Augusta crowd after completing his final round at The MastersDanny Willett salutes the Augusta crowd after completing his final round at The Masters
Danny Willett salutes the Augusta crowd after completing his final round at The Masters

Wife Nicole had been due to give birth to the couple's first child on Masters Sunday, which also happens to be her birthday.

But son Zachariah James was born last week allowing the Sheffield golfer to travel to Georgia where he would become the first British player to win The Masters in 20 years.

Willett said: "My wife was born on this day 28 years ago, it's her birthday back home today.

"My son was due today and he came 12 days early so we could come and play.

"You talk about fate and everything that goes with it and it's just been a crazy, crazy week.

"You can't really describe the emotions you're feeling.

"We all go out there to try and play good golf and at the end of the day someone has got to win the golf tournament.

"Fortunately enough, today was my day."

Willett played some superb golf on the final day to post a five under par round of 67. And he held his nerve following a remarkable collapse from defending champion Jordan Speith, who had led by five shots as he started his back nine.

Speith's quadruple bogey on 12 catapulted Willett into a lead he would not relinquish as he marched to the Green Jacket.

Willett said: "It was tough. Every time we seemed to make ground, Jordan kept pulling ahead.

"We were just trying to dig in and make birdies after birdies. I thought we had to get to six or seven and we look at the leaderboard and he's already at seven.

"It was just a very surreal day when you look back at the ebbs and flows.

"We're just fortunate the shots we hit were correct at that time and we holed putts when we needed to."