Tuesday 12 April 2016 09:14, UK
Newly crowned Masters champion Danny Willett always had "something special" about his game growing up, according to his father Steve.
Willett capitalised on a final-round meltdown from defending champion Jordan Spieth to win his first Major by three shots at the Augusta National on Sunday.
The 28-year-old Yorkshireman became the first English golfer to win the tournament since Nick Faldo's famous victory in 1996.
And Steve Willett says he first recognised his son's potential at an early age after playing golf on holiday in Wales.
"We came to Anglesey every year for holiday and I would spend the mornings playing golf with the kids," he said.
"There was one particular course that was a little tiny pitch and putt. He also had a lesson there and I thought 'this guy's got something'.
"We then did a lot of Texas scramble and within a year he was out-driving me about 70, 80 yards. There was something special about him."
Willett's coach at youth level, Paul Lovell, also described his former pupil as a "natural" and says he's been following the world No 9's career ever since.
"I think from an early stage he was very keen. When we gave him a couple of lessons he took to it very quickly," said Lovell.
"You could see that he wanted to play golf and he enjoyed himself and I'm glad to say the rest is history.
"I was only involved at the very beginning really, his father used to bring him down when he was on holiday. We had a chat and I agreed to take him on for a few lessons.
"I'd call him a natural. The week I was with him he did extremely well. He was a top amateur, he's always been good.
"I followed his career through the junior stages because my son used to play at the same level. So I followed him through the junior ranks, through the amateur ranks to professional and he obviously kept on with the journey.
"I've always looked out for his name. It's good to see him progress year by year which he has done. It's fantastic, absolutely fantastic."
