Billy Horschel is sick of the hypocrites.
During his pre-tournament presser at the Scottish Open, Horschel didn’t hold back when asked his thoughts on pros who have decided to abandon the PGA Tour to play in the lucrative LIV Golf events. Specifically, Horschel believes a handful of pros are talking out both sides of their mouths when it comes to the LIV-PGA Tour schism.
“To say that they wanted to also support this tour or the DP or PGA Tour going forward, while playing the LIV Tour, is completely asinine in my opinion,” he said. “To play the PGA Tour, you’ve got to play 15 events and their schedule is 8 events, 14; so say they are going to play 29 events a year and still hold membership on the PGA Tour is ridiculous.”
🗣️ "There's a lot of guys that are hypocrites, that aren't telling the truth, that are lying about some things that I can't stand to just sit here and be diplomatic about it"
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) July 5, 2022
Seven-time PGA Tour Champion, Billy Horschel speaks about the LIV Tour events 👇 pic.twitter.com/3iyq9HR3VD
Horschel’s beef is with the players who wish to remain members of the establishment tours while still cashing big checks in LIV events. Many pros have said they want to play on the upstart tour in order to play less golf and spend more time with their families, but that explanation doesn’t hold water in Horschel’s eyes.
“I’m just tired of these comments,” he said. “Don’t tell me you’re going to play LIV and then go play 15 events on the PGA Tour and playing 20. That’s not a small schedule, that’s not playing less.”
The seven-time Tour winner also has taken exception to some of the comments made about the PGA Tour and commissioner Jay Monahan. Those comments are not only an attack on the organization, but everyone who makes up the PGA Tour — Horschel included.
“There are a lot of guys that are hypocrites that are not telling the truth and lying about some things that I just can’t stand to sit here anymore and be diplomatic anymore about it as I have been in the past,” he said. “I don’t fault anyone for going to play the LIV Tour. I don’t have any ill will for anyone going to play the LIV Tour. I do [have] ill will about the comments they make, comments that Jay Monahan doesn’t listen to PGA Tour [players] or that Jay Monahan doesn’t listen to us. Jay Monahan and everyone at headquarters is the PGA Tour. They work tirelessly for us to reap financial rewards and have all the opportunities that we have.
“At the same time I am one of the 200-plus members of the PGA Tour, I am the PGA Tour,” he continued. “So when you take shots at the PGA Tour, at Jay Monahan, you’re not just taking shots at them. You’re taking shots at us.”
The PGA Tour recently suspended pros who have played in LIV Golf events without getting the proper release. Others, such as Dustin Johnson, have resigned their memberships from the Tour.
The DP World Tour, who is in a “strategic alliance” with the PGA Tour, also recently suspended and fined players as well, though some of the suspensions are in flux as they work through the court system.
Horschel, however, does not believe the defectors should be allowed to return to their former tours.
“I believe they made their bed,” Horschel said. “They decided to go play a tour and they should go play that tour. They shouldn’t be coming back over here to play the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour.”
