The chip on Billy Horschel’s shoulder doesn’t need to be large in order to provide motivation.
After winning the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday, Horschel said not getting a call from U.S. captain Steve Stricker in relation to Stricker’s Ryder Cup picks, added some fuel to his internal fire this week in England.
“I was a little gutted I didn’t get a call this week,” Horschel said after his triumph. “I didn’t think the call was going to say I made the team, but I was a little gutted I didn’t get a call to say, ‘Hey, you know, you didn’t make the team.’ In my mind, I thought I’d at least get that. So, there was a little more added motivation this week for that.”
Full-field scores for the BMW PGA Championship
Horschel won the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play event in March, but finished 17th in the U.S. Ryder Cup points standings. The top six players automatically qualified and Stricker had six captain’s picks.
This marks the second time in his career that Horschel has played well after the U.S. Ryder Cup team has been finalized. In 2014, he was passed over for pick and then won two playoff events and the FedExCup.
Following that, the U.S. team decided to save one captain’s pick for after the conclusion of the 2016 Tour Championship. All six selections were made this year on Wednesday, following end of the playoffs.
“It sucks not making the team,” Horschel said. “I didn’t play consistent enough and well enough after I won the Match Play to warrant a pick or get enough points to be an automatic selection.”
All is not lost, however, as Brooks Koepka withdrew from the Tour Championship because of a wrist injury. If he can’t compete, Horschel would likely get that phone call from Stricker.