US Open: Danny Willett's Masters putter in bits after tough weekend at Oakmont

The greens at Oakmont promised to be tough and proved just that for Willett who admitted he had endured a bad week with the putter.

And his frustration was clear to see in the closing stages of play on Saturday when he smashed his putter.

Luckily, the Hackenthorpe golfer carried a spare as was able to card a steady one over par round of 71 on Sunday to finish in a tie for 37th on nine over par.

But he was left to bemoan a lack of touch with the putter.

“I’ve been doing a little bit of work at home and it’s not quite been spot on,” Willett said. “Paul Herman [putting coach] was out this week trying to get a bit of work done. “It was a week that could have been pretty good.

“I think we had 33, 35 and 33 putts the first three days.

“It’s not really going to put you anywhere near contention with that amount of putts on this golf course.”

On the putter he used to claim his first Major title at Augusta, Willett says it is likely he will have to retire it even after it is rebuilt.

He said: “Unfortunately it’s now in two pieces.

“We’ll have to get it refurbed and then I won’t be using it again.

“I’ll end up keeping it and you don’t know, I might pull it back out of retirement once or twice.”

Fellow Sheffield golfer Matt Fitzpatrick finished his weekend at the US Open on 12 over par for a tie for 54th.

The title was won by American Dustin Johnson, who finished three shots clear at the top of the leaderboard despite a points penalty.

Only three other golfers finished under par following a horrendously difficult weekend blighted by storms.