Willett plays round at Forest Hills while awaiting Masters completion

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Danny Willett watches his drive from the #4 tee during the second round of the Masters Tournament Friday at Augusta National Golf Club, Friday, April 7, 2017, in Augusta, Georgia. (SARA CORCE/STAFF)

Danny Willett had some time to kill Sunday morning so he decided to play golf at one of Augusta’s public golf courses.

The 2016 Masters champion, who missed Friday’s cut but had to stay around to put a green jacket on the new champion Sunday afternoon, teed off at 10:10 a.m. at Forest Hills Golf Club, a Donald Ross-designed course.

“It was good fun, it’s a good little layout,” Willett said on Sunday afternoon on his way to the Champions Locker Room. “We’re playing next week (at the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island, S.C.) so we wanted to play a little bit of golf and stay sharp for next week. It was a nice little track.”

Willett was part of two foursomes whose tee times were arranged by his management team. Among the players in his group was his caddie, Jonathan Smart.

“It was a cool experience; he was very friendly,” said Kellie Pitts, a Forest Hills pro shop attendant. “It’s really exciting. We recognized him when he walked in.”

Pitts said when she came in at 8 a.m. Sunday she saw Willett’s name on the tee sheet and it jumped out at her.

“I thought, ‘How cool that he’s playing our course,’” she said.

Pitts said a Masters visitor from the United Kingdom happened to be in the pro shop when Willett arrived.

“He said he was excited to be standing next to a Masters champion from his own country,” Pitts said.

Pitts said she and others had their pictures taken with Willett.