Four-Ball: Can Danny Willett handle 'major' expectations?

ByABC News
April 13, 2016, 4:03 PM

— -- AUGUSTA, Ga. -- As the dust settles on one crazy finish at the Masters, our experts weigh in on  Jordan Spieth's colossal 12th hole, new expectations for Danny Willett and more in this week's Four-Ball:

1. Are you more surprised by Jordan Spieth's first ball in the water at No. 12 or his second?

SportsCenter anchor Matt Barrie: I'm more surprised by the first ball. He came up short last year on Sunday on the 12th, and to do it again was stunning. The second shot was likely a product of shock from the tee shot; but in that situation, to come up short off the tee is both surprising and inexcusable.

SportsCenter anchor Jonathan Coachman: It was the first. He still had the lead and just needed to regroup at the tee. After going in the water and not going to the drop zone, he had a brain freeze and the second ball didn't shock me. But did I feel sick for Spieth -- just awful to lose that way.

ESPN.com senior golf analyst Michael Collins: Definitely his second shot. Plenty of pros have made bad swings at the 12th hole in Augusta. The shot after the drop was one a 20 handicap would make when playing before a Masters crowd.

ESPN.com senior golf writer Bob Harig: The first shot. You just cannot miss in that situation. Anything is better than going in the water, even being way over the green. A bogey is not fatal there. But double or worse is all but assured if you go in the water, and that's what happened.

ESPN.com senior golf writer Jason Sobel: It has to be the second one. Everyone makes mistakes, and Spieth's ball-striking was never as precise as he wanted it to be during the week. But what he's done so well over the past few years is bounce back from adversity and make sure he didn't compound those mistakes. Instead, he lost focus -- and the tournament.

2. What advice would you give to Danny Willett on how to handle the transition from mostly anonymous to Masters champion?

Barrie: We often see players go from golf anonymity to star overnight. My advice would be to stay competitive in tournaments and keep winning. Being a one-major wonder sometimes takes the shine away from the win. Continuing to be in the conversation at tournaments and majors keeps narrative of "major champion" validated.

Coachman: Embrace your celebrity and opportunity; very few will ever know what this feels like. Every golfer plays professionally to make a living first, legacy second. Willett now doesn't have to worry about the opportunities for the latter, so he should cash in while he has the green jacket. The sky is the limit, especially with his talent.

Collins: Don't try to do everything. The one mistake Graeme McDowell said he made after winning the U.S. Open was trying to do all the media stuff and appearances. Willett's got a new family to enjoy; my advice is to spend time with them and let them enjoy this with you.

Harig: Don't do anything to try to "live up'' to major expectations. So many players get caught up in trying to prove it wasn't a fluke or that they have to improve to stay at this level. Willett was 12th in the world with several significant victories before winning the Masters. He is on the perfect path.

Sobel: Willett seems like a well-grounded person. The one thing his caddie and agent kept saying after the victory was that he's a notoriously hard worker. That won't dissipate in the wake of his victory. The bigger hurdle will be staying hungry rather than dealing with the spotlight. If he can, we'll see him contending at more big events soon.

3. Spieth finished second. Rory McIlroy and Jason Day were tied for 10th overall. How do you feel about the "Big Three" after the year's first major?

Barrie: They are still the best three golfers we have in the sport. McIlroy's blowup Saturday was puzzling given the way he fought Friday, while Day was never able to string together a run. And, of course, Spieth was the 54-hole leader. Seeing Day and McIlroy in the mix headed into the weekend was good for the trio. But the performances Saturday and Sunday were less than we've come to expect. 

Coachman: It's hard to say because of how they got to their finishes. They all seemed to have that look in their eye that said, "I am supposed to make a run and win this right now." It's hard to live up to expectations. Spieth was nine holes away from his third major. McIlroy and Day will be fine quickly, but this will stay with Spieth for a while and might affect him for the rest of the year. I hope not.

Collins: Not concerned yet, but I'm not nearly as optimistic about the great battles we all dream coming true in the upcoming majors. Having them win would be cool, but having them win without battling one another would be extremely disappointing.

Harig: They disappointed. Spieth had his implosion, but at least he contended. Day and McIlroy could never quite get in the mix, and that was discouraging given all the attention they garnered.

Sobel: I didn't think they were the Big Three before the tournament and still don't think they're the Big Three. They're three of the world's best players -- probably the three best players right now -- but if we learned anything this week, it's that there's a lot more to the game at its most elite level than just these three players.

4. Who was the biggest surprise top-10 finisher at Augusta?

Barrie: Matthew Fitzpatrick shot up the leaderboard with a 5-under 67 on Sunday to finish even for the tournament. He was the epitome of getting out early, hanging a number when no one is watching and sneaking in a top-10 finish. Good for him.

Coachman: Lee Westwood. At 42, Westwood's best days are behind him. When he got to within one shot after his eagle at 15, it didn't surprise me that he gave a shot back. Westwood has always made a lot of money at Augusta National. This year, though, he wasn't supposed to. 

Collins: Anyone who said they had J.B. Holmes, Soren Kjeldsen and Fitzpatrick finishing in the top 10 is either a family member, long-shot gambler or is straight up lyin' -- and I'm voting the third for anyone who's not related.

Harig: Kjeldsen. The Dane is an accomplished player on the European Tour and won the Irish Open last year. But his best finish in a major was in 2009, a tie for sixth at the PGA. He had played in just two Masters, the last in 2010.

Sobel: I'm not going to lie: I never saw Kjeldsen putting up a T-7 result this week. The 40-year-old from Denmark almost quit the game a few years ago after his world ranking had plummeted, but he held his own at Augusta, playing steady golf throughout the four rounds.