Danny Willett wants to end 'turbulent' year on a high by winning Race to Dubai

15 November 2016 12:08

Masters champion Danny Willett wants to end a "turbulent" year by claiming a Race to Dubai title which defending champion Rory McIlroy concedes is beyond his reach.

Willett won the Dubai Desert Classic in January and had led the money list since winning his first major title at Augusta before being overtaken by Henrik Stenson at the end of October.

The 29-year-old has struggled to hit top form since returning from a winless Ryder Cup debut at Hazeltine, but kept Open champion Stenson in his sights with closing rounds of 67 and 69 in last week's Nedbank Golf Challenge.

That restricted his deficit to 299,675 points and with more than 1.2million on offer to the winner of the DP World Tour Championship, Willett knows a victory in Dubai would see him finish the season as European number one for the first time.

McIlroy is seeking a hat-trick of Race to Dubai titles but needs to defend his title at Jumeirah Golf Estates and for Willett to finish outside the top five, Alex Noren outside the top two and Stenson worse than 45th in the 60-man field.

"It's been a very turbulent year," Willett said. "We've had the ultimate of highs and a few real lows the last few months and now here we are.

"We've got four rounds of golf left in what's been a pretty long season and a slightly different situation to last year, but we still need to win the golf tournament to win the Race to Dubai.

"If we control what we can and win a golf tournament, then nobody can take it away from us. It could be an exciting week.

"I have a little bit more confidence after the last couple of rounds last week. I actually allowed myself to play golf. I didn't try to swing it perfectly or do anything on the course that you do on the range. At times you've got to get out of your own way and just allow yourself to play golf again."

The world number 11, who finished second to McIlroy on the Race to Dubai last year, added: " I'd love to finish first at least once in my life.

"If I were to finish second for the rest of my life, it's not that you're playing bad golf, you've had a massively consistent year. But unfortunately we are coming up against Rory, Stenson, Alex, who are playing great golf, and to be able to finish number one from how good the fields are, I think it's a very difficult task."

McIlroy has won the season-ending event twice before and has never finished worse than 11th in seven appearances, but knows even another victory will probably not be enough to top the money list.

"Mathematically I can win, but it's not going to happen. I wouldn't hold my breath," the world number two said. "I think the three guys that are ahead of me are playing very good golf, especially the two Swedes, Henrik and Alex.

"So I don't expect those guys to play badly this week. I'm just concentrating on trying to win the golf tournament and if I can do that, I'll be very happy."

McIlroy effectively ruined his chances by withdrawing from the Turkish Airlines Open due to security concerns, but insisted he had no regrets.

" I'm very happy with my decision," the 27-year-old added. "I've been here (Dubai) for the last couple of weeks. I've done a bit of practice, enjoyed myself.

" I feel pretty fresh and feel like I'm ready to go. I'm going to give it 100 per cent for the last tournament of the year and hopefully I can put in a good performance and maybe get a fourth win of the season.

"M ajors aside, I feel like it's been a pretty good, consistent year. But going into next year, I'd like to think that my performances in the majors are going to be better."

Source: PA