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ITALIAN OPEN

June 1, 2018

Danny Willett

Brescia, Italy

DANNY WILLETT: Two really solid days. Drove the ball great, gave ourselves a lot of opportunities. Having the ball in place makes it a little bit easier. Could have rolled in a couple more in and would be a really nice couple of days.

Q. What's been working for you and what hasn't?
DANNY WILLETT: We've been obviously doing a lot of technique, and then it's just trying to take it to the golf course.

We're hitting a different ball flight than what we were last year and a lot of that is more actually playing with the visualisation of seeing a little draw, or hit it a bit higher now, as well. It's actually being able to trust setting up down the right half these days instead of the left half, and that took a long, long time trying to get comfortable with without trying to get it back to the center and stuff and double-crossing a few.

Things are going in the right direction, working hard and yeah, just trying to tick them boxes.

Q. I asked Martin the same question. Are you surprised at what a bunched leaderboard it is?
DANNY WILLETT: It's the conditions of the golf course, it being so soft. Lift and place and soft, and you have got some great players in there. You're going to get some guys going low and a lot of guys going low. I actually thought the cut was going to get to five before teeing off, which is funny, you get a text message last night, lift and place, you're thinking, actually this might not be that simple.

It is pretty bunched but like I say, if there is any chance, I don't think there is a chance of it getting too much firmer, it will kind of spread out a little bit. But you've got to be looking around 18-, 20-under.

Q. Do you set yourself a score at the weekend or just go out there and have a go at it?
DANNY WILLETT: We're going to go out there and have a go at it. Haven't made a cut for a while, so to actually be this side of the leaderboard, it's actually pretty nice. Just going to go out there, do the things we've been doing and hit some good golf shots and get in position.

The one thing we've done, we've stayed pretty patient. To say that we haven't been there for awhile and to stay patient is a tricky one, because you want to try and play as good as possible, so just try and do that for two more days.

Been doing a lot of hard work behind the scenes at home and yeah, things visually have looked a little better this week in terms of ball flight and shape, and not been a great deal of wind, which is nice to work on the things I've been doing.

I've been working really hard and I've not been getting any results and you just have to keep your head down and working and hope that you kind of get a couple of days like this under your belt the first two rounds. Doesn't mean anything is going to happen over the next two, but nice to be in that position.

Q. After yesterday did you feel confident today and after today you take confidence in tomorrow, as well? Is that the way you're approaching things at the moment?
DANNY WILLETT: It's more like taking confidence from certain shots through the days that I'd have ordinarily felt uncomfortable with, didn't look right to the eye or crosswind or this or that and suddenly hitting a lot of good golf shots today. I think it's more, you can take confidence obviously from two days' work but it is just a score. It's actually more for me, more internally what you feel on the tee box, how it suits and how you execute the shot after that.

Q. It's been tough over the last few months for you but you looked like you were enjoying your golf out there, playing with a smile on your face. Is that important that you keep that going, as well; that you look on the positives of everything?
DANNY WILLETT: Yeah, you know, it's been a really tricky 18 months but in some ways, you learn a few good lessons along the way. Obviously been busy with two kids on the way and stuff, and you actually realise that there is a bit more to life than just playing this golf, which obviously for many years, that's all I've been doing.

Yeah, it kind of does take its toll a little bit, I guess, but you wouldn't miss them for the world, and therefore the golf did take a little bit of a back seat maybe. But now we're back on track with things and we're excited about the next run of events, and we have a busy summer trying to get up them rankings on both the World Rankings and in The Race to Dubai and get back to where we feel like we belong.

Q. Very congested, how much are you looking forward to the challenge in front of what should be big crowds here in Italy, as well?
DANNY WILLETT: Yeah, the crowds have been fantastic. To see Frankie always makes for some good crowds. The Italians love their golf, and I think it's a fantastic venue for that. You get a lot of elevated areas where the guys can stand and watch. The weather is set is to be brilliant and golf course is going to play pretty similar. You're going to see some guys go really low. The cut is around four or five, so if you look at it that way, there's going to be 60 guys in with a chance over the weekend if they go low. It's going to be interesting.

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