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FEDEX ST. JUDE CLASSICJune 10, 2015Billy HorschelMEMPHIS, TENNESSEE BILLY HORSCHEL: Par is a very good score around here. The value of par goes a long way, so it gets you understanding the grind of getting ready for a U.S. Open, and I feel like the last couple years when I've played here and I've gone in to play at Merion, it's been a big help, getting used to that kind of mindset. I'm looking forward to a great week and then hopefully going to the U.S. Open and continuing the momentum that I carry from here. Q. Are you impressed with the golfers that are emerging, Jordan, what he's done? What does that mean for the sport? BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I think the game of golf, we know it's been getting younger, but I think everyone has been wondering when the younger guys are really going to make a step, make a leap. I think you just had to give us time. A lot of guys are coming out here after college with the attitude that they can win right away, and they're not afraid of anyone, they're not intimidated. They don't have to wait this three, four, five, six‑year process to learn the ropes out here and learn the golf courses, to get better. They don't have to wait until their 30s to start winning, they can do it right away. What I love about it is a lot of the players coming out right now have such confidence in themselves that sort of borders on possibly cockiness, which I'm not afraid of. You've got to have this game of golf to be great. The great players have it, and these young kids have it, and it's great to see. I'm saying young kids, and I'm 28 years old. It's funny, you hear people talk about Jordan Spieth, 21, and Justin Thomas and Daniel Berger and these people 25 and under. I feel like the old person because everyone forgets that I'm still in my 20s. I'm still two years away from turning 30. So that's fine, I'm okay with that. I'll just keep doing my thing, but like I said, these young guys coming out are fearless. They're ready to come out here and compete right away, and they don't need‑‑ they don't have to wait four or five years, like I said, to feel like they can compete out here. Q. Do you think it's good for the sport in some ways as far as maybe attracting more people to it? BILLY HORSCHEL: You know, I think it does. Everyone wants to see new faces, and everyone wants to see the young guys because they have a little bit more emotion to them. They have a swagger about them, the way they walk and everything. It's nice to see. I know a lot of people love watching it on TV. Nothing against the veterans, but people have seen them on TV for years, and they still play well, but everyone wants to see the new guys. Everyone is always enthralled with the new person. With the way TV coverage is and with all the partners with CBS, NBC, Golf Channel, for them covering it and showing more of the young guys, I think that's helping grow more interest, more energy into the game, so it's an awesome thing that a lot of the TV coverages are doing now that they didn't do years ago. Q. Have you had a chance to go to Chambers Bay and practice and play it? BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I've been to Chambers Bay. I was there the weekend after PLAYERS. It's one of the most spectacular courses I've ever played with the views and everything. It's just‑‑ it rivals Pebble Beach and Royal County Down, two courses that are up there with me, in terms of just the golf course and how special the views of the place is, so I think that says a lot about it. I think it's a great golf course. I think the greens are very unique. It's a very unique for the Pacific Northwest. My only issue with the course is that‑‑ and it's not with the course, it's more or less with the USGA and understanding that they've got a unique set of greens that they probably have never held a U.S. Open on, and to get them to U.S. Open speeds and U.S. Open firmness, I think it could be to a point where it may be a little ridiculous. It could possibly become unfair. It could make us look like idiots out on the golf course, and I'm not saying they're going to do that. I'm just saying that's my only worry about the course is that it's a good golf course, and they could make it the most exciting U.S. Open ever, with the way you can feed balls to the holes and the hole locations. But it all just depends on how fast and how firm they get the greens. I just hope that the USGA understands that they have a unique golf course, a course that they've never held a U.S. Open on, and that they have‑‑ they're going to an area where they've been golf‑deprived for decades from the PGA TOUR, and they're going to have a lot of people out there wanting to watch the guys, top players in the world. So hopefully they'll do the course any injustice, that they don't hurt the course reputation by making it too severe where it could hurt Chambers Bay in the long run in the sense that people want to come play and everything. I think it's a great place. I've met some of the caddies out there, met the head pro, the assistant pro while I was out there. They're all very energized about having the U.S. Open out there, and I'm looking forward to it. I'm looking forward to a great week. I just hope the USGA understands what they have on their hands. Q. How many times have you played the course? BILLY HORSCHEL: I was out there, played 18 holes, and then I did an outing the next day for Lexus. Been out there for two days, I'll probably only play nine holes on Tuesday and Wednesday and I'll be fine. I'll be set. That's all I'll need. I don't need any more than that. Q. Did young Tyler have any advice for you this week? BILLY HORSCHEL: No, he didn't. I just told him I was jealous that he had a plane in his name. That's pretty cool. Obviously he's a special kid, and what he's been through at such an early stage in his life. We don't want to see any of our kids go through that. He's getting better, he's doing well, and it's a special ceremony that FedEx put on to donate a million dollars to St.Jude, especially in my name. I could never have thought that. Of all the goals I've had in my life and things I wanted to accomplish, having something like that, for FedEx to do that in my name, that means a lot. Like I said, it's such a special tournament that this place holds in my heart and St.Jude holds in my heart. It's a special day, and they're going to keep doing this every year, so hopefully I can be a part of it again next year. Q. Talk about this event today and honoring Tyler, his name on a plane and everything. BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, you know, it's special. This being my first event as a professional back in 2009, I would never have imagined that I would be a part of this ceremony here today. You know, when you see Tyler and you see what FedEx does and donating a plane every year to an employee's child who's unfortunately going through a tough time in their life, it's a special moment, and then for FedEx to donate a million dollars in my name, you know, of all the goals I've had in my life I would never have dreamed of something like that, and for such a great company like FedEx to do it in my name, I really am‑‑ I'm speechless because they do so much for the PGA TOUR, sponsoring the FedExCup, and at the same time they sponsor probably something even better in this event and the St.Jude where all the money goes back to St.Jude Hospital. It's just a special day. It sort of puts everything back into perspective in life and shows you how something like this goes a long way. It doesn't matter who you are. Q. You said you started your professional career here. How are you feeling coming into the weekend here? BILLY HORSCHEL: I feel great. My game is in pretty good shape. Started playing well about six weeks ago, and took three weeks off after PLAYERS and I came back at Memorial last week and played well, just missed out on a top 10, unfortunately, but I love where my game is at. I've got some good confidence in me right now, and hopefully I can get this victory. I really would love to win this tournament. This tournament means so much to me, like I said, with this being my first tournament as a professional, giving me a sponsor exemption, and with everything that FedEx and St.Jude has done and does for the kids, I mean, this would probably be‑‑ it would rival the FedExCup for me, winning this event. I truly mean that because it's such a‑‑ it holds a special place in my heart. FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports |
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