Willett back with a bang

Danny Willett carded a seven-under-par 65 to claim a two-shot after the first round of the Irish Open on Thursday.
Playing in his first tournament since being crowned Masters champion in April, the Englishman showed no signs of rustiness to open up a handy lead over tournament host Rory McIlroy, who is alone in second place following a round of 67.
While Willett's triumph at Augusta National was his second of the year, world number two McIlroy has also been in fine form of late, notching five top 10s since the Masters, although he has failed to make it past the second round in this event in the last three years.
Willett currently has a significant advantage over McIlroy in the Race to Dubai standings, but if Thursday's action is anything to go by, this year's battle to be crowned Europe's number one could go down to the wire.
In changing conditions, with rain in the morning and sunny but windy weather in the afternoon, Willett and McIlroy rose to County Kildare's challenge.
On four-under, one shot behind McIlroy, was Callum Shinkwin and Jaco Van Zyl, with defending champion Søren Kjeldsen, two-time Major winner Martin Kaymer and Ross Fisher another shot further behind on three-under.
Fisher and Kaymer were the clubhouse leaders for much of the day after finishing their rounds early, before a series of birdies saw the leaderboard change somewhat late in the day.
McIlroy notched birdies at the fourth and sixth holes, before rolling in a tricky putt on the ninth to join the leading pack before Shinkwin got his nose in front with a birdie on the second, having started on the back nine.
Willett then joined the part with birdies on the third, seventh and ninth to turn in 32. Shinkwin, meanwhile got to five-under with a birdie on the fifth, but from here Willett and McIlroy started to reel him in.
McIlroy got to four-under with birdie on the par-five 10h, before Willett joined him when he birdied the 10th and then moved to five-under on the 11th.
The Ulsterman then joined the Masters champion when he left himself a short iron with his second on the 13th, before holing from the fringe. Meanwhile, Willett went to six-under when he holed from three feet on the same hole.
On the 14th, McIlroy dropped a shot when he three-putted, and after Shinkwin bogeyed the eighth and Willett sunk a long putt on the 14th, the Masters winner had a three-shot lead.
Willett dropped a shot on the 17th and McIlroy birdies the long last hole to narrow the gap to one stroke, but the Englishman followed suit to reestablish his two-shot lead.
Van Zyl battled on the front nine, but four birdies on the last nine holes saw him soar up the leaderboard to join Fisher and Kaymer.
Latest
-
News
Pablo Larrazabal to follow Miguel Angel Jimenez after KLM Open win in forties
Larrazabal celebrated the milestone by winning his ninth DP World Tour title and second in just four weeks.
-
News
Harry Hall bounces back from double blow to keep share of lead
Cornish rookie heads into final round tied at the top with American Adam Schenk.
-
News
Harry Hall opens three-stroke halfway lead at Charles Schwab Challenge
The Cornish rookie is chasing his first PGA Tour win after opening round of 62.
-
PGA Tour
England’s Harry Hall takes three-shot lead in Texas with career-best outing
He picked up eight birdies without dropping a shot and managed to save par from 15 and 30 feet.
-
Ryder Cup
Victor Perez to defend KLM Open title in race for Ryder Cup place
Perez has moved into the automatic qualifying places for the European Ryder Cup team.
-
PGA Championship
Michael Block in no rush to return to reality any time soon after US PGA heroics
Block almost stole the show from winner Brooks Koepka at Oak Hill, making a hole-in-one during the final round.
-
US Open
Tiger Woods withdraws from next month’s US Open
Woods pulled out of the Masters during the third round in April, saying at the time it was due to plantar fasciitis.
-
Ryder Cup
Brooks Koepka makes Ryder Cup statement with US PGA Championship success
LIV Golf’s Koepka moved up to second in the US Ryder cup rankings.
-
PGA Championship
Rory McIlroy proud of gritty effort at US PGA Championship
The 34-year-old followed an opening 71 with three straight 69s to finish two under par, seven shots behind winner Brooks Koepka.
-
PGA Championship
Club professional Michael Block relishing life-changing week at Oak Hill
The 46-year-old’s display captured the imagination of the spectators.