Willett escapes McIlroy's shadow with superb 65

Irishman McIlroy, back playing in Europe after his incredible first US PGA Tour win earlier this month, managed only a three-over-par 74 at the start of the BMW PGA Championship.

Rotherham's Willett, on the other hand, marked his debut in the European Tour's star-studded showpiece event with a nine-birdie, six-under-par 65 to set the clubhouse target.

This on a day when world No 3 Lee Westwood and defending champion Paul Casey shot 70, Padraig Harrington 71, three-time winner Colin Montgomerie 73 and Ian Poulter an error-strewn 78.

As for Ernie Els, the man whose redesign of the par-five 18th with club owner Richard Caring has caused such a stir, he was among those who went in the controversial new ditch in front of the green.

After walking off with a bogey six the South African threw a second ball into the water in annoyance.

"I don't feel very good right now," said Els, who was hired by the Surrey club to make extensive changes, but admits he was not left to do everything his own way.

Els was joint leader at the time – Willett had still to birdie the last three holes – but despite taking a bogey six and throwing a second ball into the water in annoyance, the South African soon realised a 69 had kept his title hopes very much alive.

Asked to describe Willett, a 22-year-old vicar's son, McIlroy replied: "Confident, bouncy – and a good lad."

Both were ranked No 1 in the world for a spell as amateurs, but now 119 places separate them as professionals, with McIlroy ninth and Willett 128th.

The Northern Irishman, one year younger than Willett, has won on both sides of the Atlantic, while Willett has yet to register a top-three finish.

This would be some week to change that. First prize is over 637,000 and it comes with a five-year European Tour exemption, plus a place in July's Open at St Andrews.

By his own admission "a bit hot-headed, fairly giddy all the time", Willett credits experienced caddie Malcolm Mason – he used to be on Sam Torrance's bag – for pulling the reins in on him.

As for the comparison with McIlroy, the former English amateur champion said: "There are different ways to look at it.

"It took Rory probably a year and a bit to get his first win (in Dubai early last season). I've been out a little bit longer now, but I just need to really concentrate on what I'm doing and hopefully the door and the opportunities will come up for me."

Being a newcomer to the course may have helped in the sense of not being distracted by all the changes. Willett birdied five of the first eight holes and then produced his storming finish.

At the 539-yard 18th, even with the tee moved forward around 20 yards, he decided he was not going for the green in two like Els and then hit an 89-yard pitch to three feet.

By the time more than 100 players had completed the 18th, there was still only one eagle – a four-iron to 15 feet by Scot Marc Warren in the very first group of the day – and the overwhelming view seemed to be that the hole was not quite right.

Westwood, who parred the hole after driving into a bunker and having the decision made for him about attempting to hit the green in two, commented: "They've got the green elevation wrong – it's too high– and it needs to be a bit bigger.

"There's a fine line between making it exciting and making it tough, but I was a big fan of the finish.

"You could be four or five behind on the 12th and still feel you had a chance. It's a lot stiffer test now than it used to be."

McIlroy did go for it, but went left, up against the hospitality unit, and also took five.

He had birdied the two previous holes, though, and after standing five over after the short 10th – like Westwood he double-bogeyed that after taking two in a bunker – he said: "They are very inconsistent – some bunkers have got a lot of sand and some don't have any.

"But you shouldn't be hitting them in there in the first place."

Poulter was bothered by a neck strain at the start of the week, but was not blaming that for his dreadful start. "I just didn't play very well and it's hard to scramble around this course the way they have changed it."

Dore & Totley's Neil Cheetham enjoyed a slice of good fortune on his way to carding a two-under-par 69.

He hit a spectator on the head with a wayward tee shot on the 17th but capitalised when it bounced into a good lie by going onto birdie the par-five hole.

He went on to par the remodelled 18th after extricating himself from a difficult bunker shot to sit four shots behind Willett.