Billy Horschel

Horschel had four top 10s in his 10 lead-up starts before winning the 2022 Memorial Tournament. He has just one top 10 in stroke-play events all season, this time around. "We tried to make some changes in the off-season to get better and unfortunately it didn't work, went back to some of the old stuff and it's just, it's taken a little bit longer. But I'm starting to see some life, starting to see some more quality golf shots. My bad golf shorts aren't nearly as bad anymore. So, yeah, its getting closer, it's still not where I want it to be, but there's life in the game finally." Horschel is +450 just to post a top-20 finish this week so gamers should probably look elsewhere when filling out their rosters. If you trust his press conference confidence then it would be a good buy-low opportunity. 

Horschel took it easier than usual in the lead-up to this week's event, as he's been dealing with illness over the last few weeks. "There's a saying: Beware of the injured or sick golfer. I'm not like super, super sick, but I'm just not like a hundred percent. I think you just sort of, you're a little bit easier on yourself. You're sort of not worrying about everything." He was steady (not spectacular) off the tee today with 9-of-14 fairways hit and then did his scoring from there. He opened on the 10th tee and caught fire with the flat stick early, pouring a pair of 30 footers. He had gained 2.7 strokes with his short game before then turn then dialed in his irons on the way into the clubhouse with +2.3 strokes gained approach on his homeward nine. If this co-lead holds then it would be his third career first-round lead or co-lead on the PGA TOUR. He remains on the hunt for a first win in his home state.

The Florida Gator missed the cut in two of his last three starts with a T32 at the WM Phoenix Open sandwiched in between. He wasn't happy with the results so him and his swing coach abandoned some of the new ideas they were working with, "This past week we sort of abandoned what we've been doing the last couple months, realizing it was more of an effort; it wasn't as easy to do. Went back to some of the older stuff, and what's nice is some of the stuff that we were trying to fix, that we did, going to what we were trying to do this past off-season has sort of translated into going back to the old swing." Horschel has finished T16 or better in four of his last six starts at the Honda Classic but is still searching for his first win in the Sunshine State.

The Florida Gator was making his season debut but was not rusty as he stayed busy with back-to-back top 10s on the DP World Tour after the TOUR Championship. He stayed hot this week in South Carolina despite a ho-hum performance from the putting. Horschel ranked 3rd in strokes gained approach (+6.6) this week but just T35 in putting. He was T6 at the midpoint but stumbled on Saturday with a 1-over 72. Horschel cleaned up nicely on Sunday with a tidy, seven-birdie effort which saw him miss just one fairway and two greens. Horschel will now have at least one week off as he's not in the field for the Bermuda Championship.