ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL

March 6, 2022

Billy Horschel

Bay Hill Club and Lodge

Quick Quotes

Q. Billy, what does it say about the way you were playing that you were able to fight back after a pretty rough start there?

BILLY HORSCHEL: The front nine was weird. I hit a great shot at No. 2. It went just over the green and had a little nasty lie. I hit the chip too good. I literally hit the chip too good. If at least it's a little bit more, has six more inches of pace on it, it's a tap-in. Hit a good putt that broke across.

I hit a really good chip at 3 that sort of checked up and didn't release out. Great birdie at 5, right back in there. 1-over par through 5. Pretty much got done through that little difficult stretch on the front side a little bit, so got to get through 8.

A really bad swing, a really bad just thought process on the third shot on No. 6. Looking back at it, we were trying to muscle a 52 and get a lot out of it to get it to our landing spot. And I think looking back, it probably should have just been a chip cut pitching wedge to take the water out of play and just let it land on the green and release back there.

Then I hit a really great shot at 8. I thought that was going to be stiff, and it flew a couple yards too far. I had a little nasty lie, a little weird lie back there, and then get that up and down.

Then the bad one at 10. I just got too cute. I was trying to cut spin a lob wedge in from 55 yards to get a little more spin on it, and I just wiped across it. So a little -- like I said, just some errors I don't usually make, and you just can't make late on a Sunday, especially in conditions like this if you're going to try and win.

Q. Looked like you were able to get back in it was kind of where I was driving. It's kind of like this course, you're in it when maybe you're not so sure you are.

BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I knew I was still in it on No. 11 tee. I just needed to play a really clean round coming in, and I did that. I made two birdies. I wish I would have made that birdie at 16. Once again, I just didn't do a good enough job on that third shot, that chip.

Listen, I think you guys know me well enough, I don't give in. I don't give up. I'm going to battle till the end. I'll go down in flames before I tap out.

Q. What was the emotional roller coaster like from 6 through finally getting those birdies on the back nine?

BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I think it was pretty good. I was pretty level. Didn't beat myself up, didn't get down. Just knew I messed up a little bit, knew I still was in a spot to have a chance to win this golf tournament.

I just did a really good job of trying to execute the golf shots and stay patient. I felt like I did a good enough job. Unfortunately, I just came up a shot short today.

Q. The second shot on 18, that's kind of in that Tiger putt range. Did you envision that in your mind?

BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I knew where that putt was, and I knew he'd made it many times. I'm not going to lie, I read it, and I've heard Tiger say he's read it and he's always played a little bit more break. I played it probably two more balls than what my initial read was. And I think I hit it a little too hard, played it a little too much high, either one of those.

Obviously, it's a really difficult putt. It's a difficult second shot. I felt like I did a really good job with it. Like I said, I'm a little disappointed, but we'll wake up tomorrow with a lot of good things and a lot of momentum going into next week.