Danny Willett hoping to pull the plug on rankings dive

Willett reached a career-high of ninth in the world after claiming his first major title at Augusta National in 2016, but has since slipped to 181st after struggling with injuries and a loss of form.

The 30-year-old was forced to withdraw from his scheduled season opener in Abu Dhabi with a shoulder problem and missed the cut in Dubai and Malaysia, but is hoping the unique format in Perth can help kick-start his season.

The field will be reduced to the top 65 and ties as usual after 36 holes of strokeplay, with a further cut after 54 holes to determine the top 24 players for Sunday’s match-play stages.

Any ties for 24th place will be decided by a play-off on the 18th hole at Lake Karrinyup, while the top eight qualifiers receive a bye in the first round of the six-hole match-play contests.

Matches tied after six holes will also be decided in a play-off using a “shootout” hole which utilises the existing 18th green and a new tee located around 90 yards away.

“It’s a funky format,” Willett said. “I watched it last year on TV and really thought it was good. So to be able to come down and be part of the Super 6, it puts a different spin on golf.

“We play a lot of 72-hole tournaments throughout the year and there are a couple of match-play events in there, but this obviously just throws something a little bit different in the mix there with the six holes and obviously the short pitch play-off hole as well.

“In an ideal world, it just makes for everyone being in a slightly smaller area and having all the crowds closer together.

“There are a lot of positives going forward. Now it’s just a matter of time, of getting game ready, getting game sharp, and actually again looking more at the golf now instead of the body.

“So hopefully that’s going to kind of go hand in hand really. The better I move, the better the golf’s going to be and vice versa.”