Billy Horschel was irked that Steve Stricker didn’t bother to call him to tell him he was NOT going to be on the U.S. Ryder Cup team.
With a huge chip on his shoulder, Horschel came up big on the 72nd hole Sunday at Wentworth and bagged the European Tour’s Flagship event — the BMW PGA.
Horschel won with an incredible lob wedge shot from 91 yards for his third into the par five 18th. He was deadlocked at 18-under par with Jamie Donaldson, Laurie Cantor and Kiradech Aphibarnrat. Horschel shot landed 20 feet past the cup and spun back to a foot, leaving the former FedEx Cup champion with a tap-in for the huge win. He closed with a bogey-free, seven-under par 65 that got him to 19-under par.
“I’m speechless, which is very rare,” Horschel said as he became the first American to win a Rolex Series event on the European Tour. “I played really well. To me, this is the (European) equivalent of winning the Players Championship. I played really great all week. The birdie at the 15th (to go 18-under) was huge — I had three birdies holes to go. After missing out at the 16th then the par five 17th, Horschel drove into an awkward lie on the final hole then hit a perfect layup.
“It sucks not making the team (U.S. Ryder Cup),” Horschel added. “I was a little gutted I didn’t get a call this week (from Stricker). I didn’t think the call was going to say I made the team, but I was a little gutted I didn’t get a call to say, ‘Hey, you know, you didn’t make the team.’ In my mind, I thought I’d at least get that. So, there was a little more added motivation this week for that.”
It was a heated finish with at least five players with solid chances to win. Aphibarnrat was 18-under with the two par fives to play — but a horrible second shot into a hedge resulted in a bogey at the 17th but he got back to 18-under with a closing birdie and a round of 64, low score among the contenders. Cantor, looking for his first European Tour win, birdied 17 to go 18-under but his a bad drive at the 18th that found a bunker left of the fairway. He hit a nice layup but his wedge approach sailed right and left him with 17 feet to tie Horschel. He missed.
Donaldson, who hasn’t won in seven years, had the birdie-birdie finish the rest were hoping for but he came up one shot.
Justin Rose closed with a 65, finished 16-under, tied for sixth but it wasn’t enough for Padraig Harrington to make him a captain’s pick for the European team.
Horschel’s victory put him second in the Race To Dubai points, just behind fellow American Collin Morikawa.
BMW PGA Championship Scoreboard:
5 Comments
baxter cepeda
I was just wondering where a captain draws the line of who to call with the bad news that they didn’t make it. I guess stricks line is billy.
I’m always adamant that the Players is not a major but with all due respect I’m even more sure the bmw is not a Players.
Thanks to Paddy for not giving rose a rose. The less of those euro nucleus players at the Ryder cup the better for US.
Tom Edrington
Billy’s a past FedEx Cup champion who has been playing solid the past two months…..He was on my short list for captain’s picks, I had him ahead of Reed…..I know you’re a Reed-lover but how many years has it been since that “Captain America” stuff? A lot. And with Reed, I used the old “mutual fund disclaimer to investors” and that is “Past performance is no indicator of future results”……Reed trended down the past three months, got hit with the health issue and I think he hurt his case by declaring it in the life-threatening neightborhood….
baxter cepeda
I don’t know about mutual funds but in sports past success is absolutely an indicator of future success, especially the Ryder cup. Pilfer and Sergio immediately come to mind.
We see elite athletes have ups and downs all the time but it’s often the same people who put themselves in contention and win.
Tennis is a great example. The big 3 all have their ups and downs but at the end of the day they have 6o combined slams. Tiger and Phil are the best examples for golf. Same thing ups and downs. Retired dozens of times. But they keep coming back doing amazing things, especially in the clutch. Many guys are not clutch. Reed is clutch. Billy struggles a bit with clutch.
It has not been that long since Reed wagged his finger at Rory. Tell me how many Americans have done anything great in the Ryder cup since that day. Easy. Non.
Tom Edrington
Tennis? Is that why a qualifier won the US Open this year? And it’s been five long years since Reed “wagged his finger” that’s a long time, especially for dogs!!
baxter cepeda
Those two young ladies could be the future; both had epic rags to riches runs while their personalities constantly one upped each other.
It was literally hard to know whos game or personality to like more. Loved watching the semis and finals entirely. Very memorable US Open.
Medvedev, Fernandez and the qualifier Radacanu are 3 names to remember.
That being said Serena and the big 3 are finally starting to show some subtle signs of potentially slowing down. But still My boy Djok almost won the grand slam.
Nerves made the Serv work his legs a bit too throughout the event in steamy New York and bad boy villain Medvedev made him pay, finally winning the crowd over.
Speaking of the New York crowd, I have never seen anyone work them quite like Leylah Fernandez. She had them on their knees.
Get it?
Leyla!