Golf-Willett goes back to basics with roast beef Masters dinner

By Ed Osmond

AUGUSTA, Georgia, April 4 (Reuters) - Danny Willett has chosen a traditional English Sunday roast for his U.S. Masters champions dinner at Augusta and is planning a special tribute to American great Arnold Palmer.

Thirty-four former winners of the tournament will start with cottage pie before tucking into roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and apple crumble.

"There's been a lot of thought gone into it about how we can embrace British culture and hopefully they enjoy a little taste of Yorkshire," the 29-year-old from Sheffield told reporters on Tuesday.

"It's nothing really off the wall. It would have been what most people would have thought, if they were to come to Britain and sit in a pub on Sunday and have their dinner."

Willett, the second Englishman after Nick Faldo to don the Green Jacket, will propose a toast to four-times Masters champion Palmer, who died last year at the age of 87.

"I've thought of a few words to say and had the idea of toasting Arnie with his favourite drink tonight. To not have him here, it's going to be a sad week," Willett said.

"You're sat in a room there with the best players of all time and I think that in itself is going to be brilliant."

Willett is confident the Augusta chef will prepare the Yorkshire pudding properly. "He'd best be, otherwise I'll be in the kitchen making sure - if they go a bit flat, we're not going to be happy," he said with a smile. (Editing by Mark Heinrich)