EurAsia triumph has Fitzpatrick and Willett ready for Ryder Cup debuts

Sheffield's Danny Willett, standing, left, and Matt Fitzpatrick, front row second left, with their triumphant EuraAsia Cup team-mates and captain Darren Clarke (Picture: Getty Images).

The Sheffield pair helped put two points on the board apiece as Europe triumphed 18½-5½ in Kuala Lumpur.

And Willett even secured the winning point with a 3&1 win over leading Asian golfer Byeong Hun An.

A place on Team Europe for the Ryder Cup in the Autumn is a major goal for both Fitzpatrick and Willett.

And both confessed their desire to take on the United States at Hazeltine has only increased after their latest experience of team golf.

“This is a special week but no offence to this, everyone knows how special the Ryder Cup is,” Fitzpatrick said.

“That’s obviously the goal and this has really inspired me to work hard and get there in September.”

Willett added: “It’s brilliant. Matchplay in general is a fantastic game but it is different in a team environment.

“You’re with the lads at night going over what went well and how you can help each other.

“Usually you go back to your room at night and probably dwell on what went bad that day.

“There’s been a lot of positives in the team room. It’s been fantastic this week with the lads.

“It’s been the 12 lads and the captain and you couldn’t have wished for a better group.”

Should the European team for the Ryder Cup be selected now, both Willett and Fitzpatrick would qualify.

Fitzpatrick currently sits third in the European Ryder Cup rankings with the top four set to make the team.

Willett is in seventh but sits ninth in the world points list – behind the current European top four – with the next five not qualified via European points set to qualify.

Europe captain Darren Clarke will also have three wildcard picks to make up the 12 man team.

Both men head to Dubai his week to compete in a star-studded Abu Dhabi HSBC Golf Championship.

European number one Rory McIlroy and world number one Jordan Speith will both be in action and have been paired together together for the opening two rounds.

Willett will tee off alongside Europe team mate Lee Westwood and South African ace Branden Grace at 8.05am on Thursday morning.

Fitzpatrick has been grouped with Thongchai Jaidee whom he competed against at the EurAsia Cup, plus Major winner Ernie Els in a 7.45am tee slot.