By ALISTAIR TAIT
Senior WriterVIRGINIA WATER, England – England’s Daniel Willett, a member of the 2007 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team, will make his professional debut at next week’s Celtic Manor Wales Open.
The native of Rotherham, England turns his back on a successful amateur career that saw him go from a relative unknown to the No. 1 player in the R&A’s world amateur rankings. He is No. 8 in the
Golfweek/Scratch Players World Amateur Rankings.
Willett’s decision to turn pro came after successful starts in two European Tour events this season. Willett finished 19th in the Andalucian Open in March and placed 10th in the Spanish Open at the start of this month.
Willett then skipped the Brabazon Trophy – the English Amateur Stroke Play Championship – last weekend to concentrate on getting ready for his professional debut in Wales.
“I felt the time was right to turn pro after playing in the two professional tournaments earlier this year,” Willett said. “I felt comfortable playing in those events. I didn’t feel out of place, and felt I was capable of playing at that level. I didn’t want to hang around and not take the opportunity now.
“I’ve got the two starts on the European Tour and I’ll try to qualify for the British Open, too. I don’t think I’ll play the (European) Challenge Tour. I’ll try to get my card through playing on the main European Tour. Hopefully if I play well enough then seven tournaments can turn to eight or nine (top-10 finishes in Europe grant automatic invites to the next event.). Hopefully I can get enough money to earn my card though invites, but if not I will go through the (European Tour Qualifying) School at the end of the year.
“I loved playing amateur golf but I’d done everything there was to do. The time was right for me to turn professional now.”
Willett has signed with Tengo Sports Agency, which is run by Ian Mackenzie, brother of former European Tour player Malcolm Mackenzie.
The 20-year-old has an invite to play in the Russian Open. As an affiliate member of the European Tour, Willett can accept up to seven invites. If he equals the money earned by the last player to earn a full card last year (E212,657), then he can play a full schedule after that.
Willett attended Jacksonville State University but quit after his sophomore year to play full-time amateur golf. Willett rose to prominence when he defeated Rory McIlroy in the second round of the British Amateur Championship. He followed up that feat by winning the English Amateur championship and the South of England Championship to earn a place on the GB & I Walker Cup team which played at Royal County Down last year.
He began the year by winning the Spanish Amateur Championship in March, a victory that earned him invitations to the two European Tour events in Spain. Willett then backed up his Spanish Amateur triumph by winning the Australian Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Royal Adelaide Golf Club in April.
• • •
Alistair Tait is a
Golfweek senior writer. To reach him e-mail
atait@golfweek.com.
Posted: 5/21/2008
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