'As Much as I Would Love to Throw in the Towel, That's Just Not in Me': Emotional Billy Horschel Talks Opening 84 at Memorial
DUBLIN, Ohio - Billy Horschel has battled swing issues this year that saw him hit a low point Thursday when he shot 84 in the opening round of the Memorial Tournament.
The defending champion did not make a birdie at Muirfield Village and then became emotional discussing it afterward, pausing for a long time and trying to hold off tears.
“It’s tough right now” he said. “I'm working really hard, trying to do the right things, and the team's doing everything really well. It sucked today. Yesterday, sort of thought I didn't hit it very good in the pro-am and even after the round it wasn't bad. I mean, on video it looks good. Technically it's not that far off.
“But I'm not able to hit the cut the way I want. I can't get the ball to start left the way I want. So then when it comes down to having to be more precise on a course like this, it's just, it's tough. Yeah, I mean, I'll keep working. As much as I would love to throw in the towel and not come out tomorrow, that's just not in me. I'm just not one of those players. There's plenty of those guys out here on Tour that would make an excuse about being injured and everything.
“But I'll show up and I'll go out there and give it my all like I always do and try and find something, try and play well, and move on. I mean, it's a day and I've had plenty of these days this year. Not this bad, but it's just a day. We'll get by it.”
Horschel, who is ranked 35th in the official world ranking and 59th in the SI Golf World Rankings, has just a single top-10 finish this year that came in the WGC-Match Play. He’s missed six cuts in 12 events and is headed for another at the Memorial.
“I'm struggling every hole,” he said “My confidence is the lowest it's been in my entire career. I think ever in my entire golf career. So it's funny, as low as it feels, it feels like I'm not that far off at the same time. Which is insane to see when you see me shoot 84 today. It wouldn't make sense to a lot of people. But I don't think I'm that far off. I need the swing to be a little bit better, I need to do a few more things a little bit better. I just need to see a few more quality golf shots and that's just what I haven't had. And it's tough when you come to a course like this and you need to be precise tee to green and I'm not really precise right now from tee to green.
“Around the greens I put myself in awful positions trying to get up-and-down. And my putting's tried to bail me out as much as it can. But, yeah, it's a challenge out there, there's no doubt about it. But like I said, I'll keep plugging away and I'll keep pushing forward and I'll keep grinding hard I'll keep working hard and hopefully it (expletive) comes around soon. Sorry.”