ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 30, 2021

Danny Willett

Quick Quotes

Q. Did you enjoy that today?

DANNY WILLETT: It was good. It didn't look like it was going to be like that this morning when we got here. It was a little bit Armageddon-ish up here but we kind of all practise in it, the first hour and ten, and then remarkably, nobody saw this kind of weather coming. But nice. There's been a lot of people out watching. Nice to have people back. Nice rapport. Nice to have the Pro-Am format back and just a good, fun week. Yeah, been good.

Q. How did your partner go?

DANNY WILLETT: The partner was good. Jimmy is real good. He's a member at Augusta. He's a very handy golfer himself. So I think he shot -- I think he parred every hole he had a shot on today which is all you can ask for.

Q. Not being there on the course, I was surprised to see some of the scores today. Ended up all right for you?

DANNY WILLETT: It was more the fact that because they thought the winds were going to really pick up and the rain was going to be there, they have been sensible enough with the flags. You've got 170 guys with amateur, you don't want to make itself en-hour rounds out here by making it too tricky. And then same as an Open Championship, you do that because you think the wind is going to come and then it drops because you're on the coast and you get guys putting good scores in.

Q. What did you do well today?

DANNY WILLETT: We didn't make a bogey. Always helps regardless of how many birdies you make. Not making a bogey around Carnoustie is a pretty nice way to go.

Kept the ball in play. Didn't do anything silly. Gave ourselves a few nice looks and yeah it was just one of those really steady days. Really weren't expecting it after how things were this morning. The guys who teed off at nine o'clock would have had a good nine, ten holes in that stuff which would have been tough.

Q. After The Ryder Cup, sort of discussions about the system that produces the Americans, the talents coming through and the talent pathways over here. From your point of view, having been in the college system over there, what you think that brings to the Americans and whether it does give an advantage to the guys that come through there?

DANNY WILLETT: I don't know if the college system gives an advantage to The Ryder Cup. The college system gives an advantage to whoever goes to college. I did two years at Jacksonville State and then decided it was time to turn professional which was a good move for me. Some guys do all four years. College golf gets you ready to compete and play golf. They play some proper, proper golf against some real stellar fields. So when you come out on Tour, whether that be the European Team or the PGA TOUR, you're ready to play these golf courses. That is how the world is going in terms of where they are taking it.

As an amateur -- as amateurs in Britain, we played a lot of links golf but we only play that once or twice a year. It doesn't quite set you up in the same way that the college system does. College, you go to -- I was at the gym five days a week at 6.30. You've got to go and fend for yourself and do your own laundry and do your own ironing and go find your own food. It's on your terms to practise. You've not got your mom or dad there telling you what to do, which I like, but some people don't.

I just think that in terms of how it prepares you for life and stuff and golf, I think it gives the guys a real good 1-up. The guy who is don't always finish college, probably don't continue on in the same way that a Morikawa or Hovland have, Wolffie as well.

I think it's a nice steppingstone, now that the PGA TOUR have come in with the top five from them rankings getting the Korn Ferry card, they are trying to promote guys staying at college and getting an education because it doesn't always work out as everyone dreams it does.

Q. Does it give you a grounding in team golf? Over here you play County stuff and whatever it might be.

DANNY WILLETT: Yeah, it does, every week, we took five guys with us. Some weeks we were four to count and some weeks we're five to count. Of course you're going to help him out. You're want to win the team and you're still trying to win the individual each week, but ultimately, you want the team to get to regionals and nationals. If a guy is struggling with chipping or putting or whatever, you give them a helping hand.

You see that in Ryder Cup, you see guys in practise, try this or that where on a normal week, you wouldn't be anywhere near him. You'd happily let him struggle a little bit and see how they get on that week. It is a different vibe.

I think the American lads have come in and they are all in that age bracket now kind of 24 to 30 where they have played a lot of golf with each other now and they are all good friends and I think it's a very dangerous dynamic when you put that with how talented they are. They have just got an exceptional team.

Q. College was a good finishing school for you, was it?

DANNY WILLETT: It was all right. My two years were fine. I learned how to -- I ironed in my pleats in my trousers. I was fine.