Danny Willett won 2016 US Masters golf championship

Danny WillettDanny Willett claimed a shock Masters win with a superb five-under-par 67 as 2015 champion Jordan Spieth crumbled during a thrilling final round. The Englishman, 28, won his first major by three shots on five under to become the first British victor in 20 years. Overnight leader Spieth, 22, led by five shots as he approached the 10th at Augusta, but the American dramatically dropped six shots in three holes. He ended with a one-over 73, tying for second with England’s Lee Westwood. Despite being born and raised as a Yorkshireman, Willett left Sheffield to play two seasons of golf in America.

Heading into this week’s tournament Willett had accumulated US$677,265 in PGA Tour prize money, which is dwarfed by the $1.8m cheque he’ll receive for his efforts at Augusta.

Willett is one of the golf’s rising stars, having climbed from outside the top 100 to inside the top 10 in less than two years. Willett was the 2006 Ohio Valley Conference Freshman of the Year and won medalist honours in 2007, but ended up leaving America without a degree. In 2007 he won the English Amateur Championship enabling him to turn pro the following year.


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