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Billy Horschel: Up and Down Career Continues in 2020

By Tim Letcher

PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 09: Billy Horschel of the United States plays his shot from the seventh tee during the second round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Mayakoba Golf Course on November 09, 2018 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
PLAYA DEL CARMEN, MEXICO - NOVEMBER 09: Billy Horschel of the United States plays his shot from the seventh tee during the second round of the Mayakoba Golf Classic at El Camaleon Mayakoba Golf Course on November 09, 2018 in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images) /
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Billy Horschel has proven that he can play with the best players in the world when he’s on. Or, he can slip into the middle of the pack.

Billy Horschel is one of those players on the PGA Tour that when he’s good, he’s really good. And when he’s not as good, his results can be all over the place.

Horschel, who is still only 33 years old, despite the fact that it seems like he’s been on the tour for at least 20 years, is actually just in his 11th year on tour. And his results from year-to-year have been somewhat of a roller coaster.

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Horschel was a three-time first team All-American at Florida from 2006-09, where he won four times during his career. After graduating from UF, he immediately went to the PGA Tour Qualifying School, where he earned his tour card.

Everything seemed to be going great for Horschel until, during his rookie season in 2010, he injured a tendon in his wrist and was forced to have surgery. After playing in just four events, Horschel had to shut it down for the season and take care of his health.

In 2011, he returned to the tour on a major medical extension, but that did not go as Horschel had hoped. He earned two top 10 finishes, but fell well short of where he needed to be, finishing 170th in the FedEx Cup standings.

The 2012 season was better for Horschel, but still not quite where he needed to be. He did register his first career top five finish, but his 143rd place finish in the FedEx Cup standings sent him back to the Q school. There, he finished in a tie for fourth, earning back his tour card for the 2013 season.

At that point, Horschel’s career made a turn. He earned his first tour win, at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, and had a second, a third and a total of eight top 10s that season. He jumped from 143rd in the FedEx Cup to 16th, an amazing finish for a guy who had to earn his tour card at the Q school just to be on the tour that season.

The next year, in 2014, Horschel showed that he can play with anyone. He had perhaps the greatest run in the history of the FedEx Cup playoffs, getting hot at exactly the right time. Horschel came into the playoffs in 82nd place in the standings and was in danger of not making it to the next round. However, he finished in a tie for second place and jumped to 20th place in the standings, ensuring he would be around at least one more week.

The next week, at the BMW Championship, Horschel rallied on the weekend to beat Bubba Watson by a shot and claim the victory. He jumped from 2-th to second in the FedEx Cup standings heading to the Tour Championship.

The Tour Championship came down to a battle between Horschel and Rory McIlroy in the final round. Whoever won the tournament would also win the FedEx Cup. And, to the surprise of many, it was Horschel who outdueled McIlroy to claim the prize.

However, Horschel would go without a win over the next two seasons and would finish out of the Tour Championship both times. In 2015, he finished 66th in the standings, followed by a 50th place finish in 2016.

In 2017, Horschel bounced back, with a win at the AT&T Byron Nelson and a second at the RSM Classic. He would fall short of making the Tour Championship, finishing 42nd in the standings.

The next season, Horschel made another run. He won the Zurich Classic of New Orleans again, then mounted another playoff charge. He was third in the Northern Trust, followed by a tie for third at the BMW Championship. In his first trip to the Tour Championship since winning in 2014, he finished runner up to Tiger Woods, ultimately finishing fifth in the FedEx Cup standings.

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Last season, Horschel slipped back again, continuing his up and down trend. He was 43rd in the playoffs in 2019. This season, he currently sits at 49th.

If there’s one thing to expect from Horschel, it’s that no one has any idea exactly what to expect. He could make another run at the FedEx Cup this season, or he could miss the Tour Championship. Only time will tell which Billy Horschel shows up in this year’s playoffs.

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