In 2016, Danny Willett proved his mettle on the Majlis course by sinking a 15-footer for birdie on the final hole to win the Dubai Desert Classic by one shot — his fourth European Tour victory.
Two months later, the Englishman had secured a first major title at the Masters, and has since added three more standout professional wins, including the 2018 DP World Tour Championship.
Willett’s most recent triumph came in October, at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland. Ahead of this week’s Slync.io Dubai Desert Classic, beginning Thursday, The National caught up with the former European Ryder Cup star to reflect on his 2016 success at Emirates Golf Club, and goals for 2022.
How special is it to come back to a tournament at which you've had such success before?
It’s always nice to come back to a golf course that you’ve done well at, at tournaments that you’ve done well at. And especially here in Dubai, because the venue has obviously been the same for so long — a really iconic venue on the Majlis course — for many, many years. It just gives good memories, good vibes as soon as you step on the property really and you're on site.
Your picture’s there, your name’s on the wall in the clubhouse. Just everything about the week is really nice knowing that you've got so many good memories from one of the weeks you've had. Not many people get to win that many times in their career, so it's being able to win on such an iconic venue and at such a great event on the DP World Tour. So it’s always special to come back.
How important to your career was that win in 2016 — especially given what followed that April?
The win in 2016 was really big. I came off a really big 2015 season; it was disappointing to finish second on the Race to Dubai behind Rory [McIlroy], but I came out playing really nice in the 2016 season. And it just showed that I’d kept my game in a nice place, that I was in a good place with everything really.
I played really nice that week and it gave me some great confidence going forward for those events that came obviously the next few months, to really realise where the game was at.
And obviously taking that forward to April, already being a winner that year, knowing what those feelings are like coming down the stretch not too long ago, in contention and pulling it off, it was a big step in how that 2016 played out.
What moment stood out most from that win in 2016, both on the course and off it? And why?
Quite a few things stood out, really. [My wife] Nic was pregnant at the time so all that kind of stuff at home was really good fun, really exciting. I came away with two of my brothers, so we were here and having a good time as a family, being able to spend time with them and then for them to see me play.
So off the golf course my mind was in a great place; Nic was nice and safe at home and she was in good spirits, and here with my family being at the event was a really nice one to do. And, on the golf course, just very rarely do you actually get to hole a putt to win a golf tournament.
They’re usually a tap-in or you win by two or whatever you may do. But to actually hole that 15-footer as we did down the hill, left to right, knowing if we missed it we’re back in a play-off; really just the way and how that golf tournament finished for me.
Rafa [Cabrera-Bello] knocked it on the green, rolled it up, made an easy birdie. So I had to make that birdie to win. And to step up there and do it like that was a fantastic way. I hadn't holed a putt like that to win a golf tournament before that all, or since then really. So was just a really exhilarating feeling.
What did victory at the Alfred Dunhill late last year do for your confidence, and how does that impact your goals for 2022?
The Alfred Dunhill was a fantastic week. It's obviously been well publicised that there’s been a few ups and downs in how I played over the last six years.
But once again it just goes to show that, when I'm in contention and when the game’s in a good place, we've got the ability to win — which we seem to do quite often when we're up and around the leaderboard.
So just nice to know, just to keep reconfirming that is the kind of player you are. You are good at closing out; you’re good at finishing.
And it drives me forward to want to get in that position more and more and more and try to get some of the consistency back that I had in 2015 in 2016.
If I can mix that consistency with my ability to close tournaments out, then going forward into this year with goals and stuff, that’s kind of where I’m at.
I would like to be in contention more, to be a little bit more consistent in my performances throughout the year around the globe and, like I said, just give myself a few more bites at the cherry. And hope that we can help we seal a few more and get into that position, which is what we all practise for.
