It wasn’t like Danny Willett was in a strong position at the Emirates Golf Club. He managed a 4-over par in the first round of the 2026 Hero Dubai Desert Classic. However, the Englishman is known for pulling off great comebacks, as he did in 2016. And so, he was “gutted” to not have opportunity to do so this year as he withdrew from the Rolex Series event after the first round.

Disappointed with the result, he tweeted, “Absolutely gutted to have to withdraw from @DubaiDCGolf due to a tendon tear in my hamstring. Such a great week so massively frustrating…hope to get this sorted and back out there soon.”

Willett had already made too many mistakes in the first round of the event. That had pushed him outside the probable cutline. However, he wasn’t completely out of the competition. He needed a 3-under par in the second round to get back in.

But the hamstring injury has ensured that he won’t get that opportunity. He had to withdraw from the event without playing a single hole on Friday. His disappointment is understandable, especially after his 45th place finish at the Dubai Invitational last week.

That’s not the only thing that would have been running on his mind. Being the 2016 Dubai Desert Classic champion, Willett would have wanted to win the prestigious title once again a decade later. The last time he won the tournament, he had beaten tough opponents like Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau.

That said, this is not an isolated injury for Willett. He has been going through a tough time over the last few years.

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Danny Willett’s injury struggles

“The last few years have been a roller coaster,” Danny Willett said in an interview with the DP World Tour.

Although he was talking about the many missed cuts, the same can be applied to his problem with injuries as well.

A severe injury in 2023 kept him off the fairways for six months and he had to undergo surgery for a torn left shoulder. He tried to fight through the pain, but the BMW PGA Championship that season proved to be a little too challenging. That’s when he got the procedure done and took time off for rehabilitation.

Willett was on the sidelines from September 2023 to March 2024. That hindered all the progress he had made the previous season as he had come close to winning his second title on the PGA Tour calendar.