Danny Willett was happy to see his hard work paying off after he fired a second-round 67 to sit just one shot off the lead heading into the weekend at the Maybank Championship.
The Englishman enjoyed a stellar first half of 2016, winning the Omega Dubai Desert Classic and following that two months later with a maiden Major Championship victory at the Masters Tournament.
He had just one top ten in his final 13 events of the season but began the new campaign with a sixth-placed finish at the UBS Hong Kong Open and worked hard over the winter to try and hit the dizzy heights once again.
A win at Saujana Golf and Country Club would serve as a rich reward for renowned workaholic Willett, and he is feeling good heading into the final 36 holes.
"I played really well yesterday and it was a little bit scrappy today but there was a storm brewing a few hours ago and the wind was flicking around so it was tough to get the club right, so I scored nicely this afternoon," he said.
"I holed a couple of nice putts when I needed to. I missed a couple of good chances too but if someone told me at the start of the day - five under, I would have bitten their hand off.
"I’ve just been committing to a few of the shots, it’s a relatively tight golf course on some of the holes if you want to take it on, so you just have to commit to a couple of the holes you like and hit good golf shots.
"I’ve not been necessarily perfect but if you’re trying to hit fade, they’ve got that look about them and if you’re trying to hit draw it’s the same thing.
I’ve been working hard so it’s nice to see it on the course - Danny Willett
"But the last few weeks I’ve been trying to hit fade and I’ve been hitting them straight left and getting in all sorts of problems so everything has come on nicely.
"I’ve been working hard so it’s nice to see it on the course."
With reduced winds on day two, the heat was stifling at times in Kuala Lumpur but Willett is hoping his fitness levels will give him an edge over the weekend.
"I think this heat brings everyone to my level," he said. "I sweat enough when it’s cold at home so I think everyone struggles out here in the heat.
"For me being relatively fit it makes it a bit easier to manage four rounds here plus Pro-Am plus maybe another nine holes. It’s a gruelling week.
"I think at the end of the week it’s going to be whoever can keep their emotions under control and someone who is relatively fit and obviously the guy who can hole a few putts."
