BMW PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

September 22, 2024

Billy Horschel

Wentworth Golf Club

Quick Quotes (2)

Q. How does it feel to get over the line?

BILLY HORSCHEL: Feels great. Still a little bit of shock but listen, it was a fabulous week and a fabulous four days of golf.

You know, playing against some of the best players in the world in Rory McIlroy and Matteo who has come back from his struggles, so many top players up there, and to come out victorious, right now, I can't describe it. I'm speechless. But I'm just over the moon.

Q. It looked like it was coming from the last group today but then Aaron Rai and Thriston Lawrence had a good, run and when Rory made the eagle on 17, you must have felt he had the momentum coming down 18, and you made two birdies.

BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, I knew there was going to be some guys that would jump out early, get off to hot starts, and Aaron Rai was one of them. Thriston started playing well there in the middle and made a lot of birdies.

I felt like our group, we were sort of in neutral a little bit. I made a nice eagle at 12 and birdied 13, I thought that was really going to get me going the last few holes. But I always felt, Rory, he's got a lot of firepower. It's just a matter of time. He's been hitting good quality shots and good quality putts that didn't go in.

I told him after 17, I said, "I had a feeling you were going to make that." Just because he's been so close the last two days, playing with him, he had not had that big moment yet, and that was that big moment.

Yeah, and then I just kept grinding away and I had luck that Thriston didn't birdie one of the two par 5s coming in and Rory didn't birdie 18 in regulation. Gave me an opportunity to birdie 17, 18 to get into a playoff with those boys.

Q. You were gracious in victory, tipping your hat to Rory that you were sad he didn't make it through, but fitting that you guys were dueling it out at the end.

BILLY HORSCHEL: Yeah, he's a really good friend. We go back to Walker Cup in 2007, our head-to-head days.

I think the world of him. I think he's the best player in our generation. He's done so much for the game. You see the support he has here; you see the support he has around the world. He has the most crowds and supporters outside of Tiger Woods. He's great I think for the game of golf. He does so many great things.

Listen, I'm a fan of golf at heart. I do play professionally on the PGA and DP World Tour but I am a golf fan and I want to see great golf and I want to see the top players play well and win, and I know he's been close a lot this year. He has not been able to get it done and you can feel for someone like that.

I do feel for him a little bit that it was another opportunity that he wasn't able to get it done, but at the same time, you know, to battle him head-to-head and with other guys on the last playoff hole, I wouldn't want it any other way.

Q. You mentioned Rory's support. Every time you come here yours grows exponentially. What's it like for an American to have that kind of support across the pond?

BILLY HORSCHEL: It's heartwarming, it really is. I believe that I've shown the appreciation to come over here. I've made the effort and shown how much I love it over here. I appreciate the fans and all the support, and in return they have given me tons of love, whether it's here or at The Open championship. The support that I receive when I come over here is really second-to-none, close to compared to maybe the state of Florida when I play.

I'm thrilled that they have taken me under their wing and support me as one of their own.