Willet's renewed confidence ahead of Open

The Rotherham Golf Club ace tees off at just before 7am looking to use the occasion to kickstart a career that has been a downward spiral since winning The Masters in 2016.

He admits it's been a torrid 18 months, with repeated failures to make cuts as he's struggled with back problems.

He said: "You try and gain confidence from the process of what you're doing and how hard you're working but it is a massively results-driven game and it's always nice to see results from the things that you're putting in.

"The back hasn't been an issue now for eight months. I changed everyone in my team and first thing we did was say 'I need to get fit'. I want to play this game for another 20-odd years.

"In hindsight the major injuries where I was struggling to get out of bed in the morning and all the painkillers I was taking were actually probably a good thing for me. It told me I needed to change something. 

"It's been a very trying 18 months but I really do feel that the body now is in a place that is really good and manageable. There's not really an end to the swing stuff, you're always trying to change and get better."

The action gets under way at 6.35 am tomorrow with Willett headig out to the tee alongside Argntinean Emiliano Grillo and American Luke List.