Danny Willett proves a product of 'Chubby' Chandler's life after Rory McIlroy, but Masters is just the beginning

It is some time since Andrew ‘Chubby’ Chandler last stood in the winner’s enclosure at a major, five years since he held court outside the Masters media centre to talk us through the victory of Charl Schwartzel and the defeat of Rory McIlroy.

Both have moved on, McIlroy to become one of the dominant figures in the sport. Chandler has evolved, too, with Danny Willett in the vanguard of his reconstituted ISM operation. Sunday’s Masters win was some elevation for both.

The post-green jacket party at ISM’s rented towers had Sir Alex Ferguson as a guest. Fergie joked that he had lost £8k on Jordan Spieth and was happy to do so. Sir Alex’s Masters itinerary was organised by Chandler, another example of the way Chubby rolls in the south Manchester football belt.

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Willett was a classic, post-McIlroy acquisition, fed to Chandler by operators who know their business. Willett is as driven as he is talented, an iron-willed Yorkshireman who does not blink in the white heat of competition. This Chandler anecdote following Willett’s victory in Dubai earlier this year illustrates the mentality that underpinned the dethroning of Spieth.

“I said to him ‘I think this win gets you up to No 11 in the world.’ He said to me, ‘just another ten places to go then.’ That’s what he is like. It’s the start of a road for Danny, not the end of a road. I would not be surprised now that he knows exactly how many majors Rory has won and he will want to get up there and past Rory’s tally.

“If you take Tiger out what is the next best tally of majors (currently playing), four, five? (Phil Mickeslon, five). No matter, at the end of the day Danny can become one of the greats of his time, and I would not be surprised if he is.”

That’s the agent speaking. There is no doubt Willett is some player, and would have perhaps scored more heavily than the five professional victories he has at 28 had he not been nursing a back condition that turns chronic episodically.

With greater experience and a growing bank balance Willett has been able to micro manage his health to such a degree the back is under control. Monthly visits to a lumber guru in London are part of that process. “Over Christmas he had his blood tested and he had his sweat tested just to get everything right, so you know when you have somebody that wants to be good,” Chandler said.

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“He had his trainer here. He does his thing properly. He lives his life unbelievably well, and he deserves everything he gets because he is meant to be a good player. Danny is very detailed. His diet is very, very spot on. He’s trying to lose weight. But he won’t lose any weight tonight.”

Indeed not. Beer was the order of the day, or rather night, and then back to the bosom of his expanding family in Rotherham. The arrival of son Zacharia has quickly become part of this marvellous story. He came early to allow his father to play the Masters. His reward is a dad in a green jacket. It doesn’t get better than that.