Horschel calls on PGA to take action to stop ‘mediocrity handouts’
Billy Horschel has urged the PGA Tour to shut the door on the Saudis and the Premier Golf League by taking action to stop players from getting “handouts for mediocrity” on the US circuit.
Speaking ahead of his bid to become the first American to be crowned as Race to Dubai champion this week, Horschel didn’t hold back on his opinions when he was asked for his assessment of recent developments in the game.
They have included former world No 1 Greg Norman taking up a new role as CEO of LIV Golf Investments and having $200m of Saudi investment to pump into the game through the Asian Tour over the next 10 years, as well as the European Tour being rebranded as the DP World Tour for the 2022 and boasting record prize money.
“I think [PGA Tour commissioner] Jay Monahan and the entire staff has done unbelievable work with trying to take care of players,” said Horschel ahead of the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“But I think we need to look at what's going to be sustainable in 25 years, and not so much worry about the Saudis or the PGL. They need to do what’s best for the PGA Tour.
“And, in my mind, I think we should make the tour more competitive. And what I mean by that is maybe instead of giving out 125 cards every year, we cut it down to 100.
“And, if we cut down the Korn Ferry cards from 50 to 30, you make the field 120 maybe from 150 and now you’re getting the better players week in and week out.
“Guys aren't sort of just happy finishing 90th on the PGA Tour every year and collecting a million plus dollars; they're actually striving to be the best players on the PGA Tour.
“I think if we would change the way the money pays out where the top 30, 40 guys get paid a lot of money and then you don't get paid as much down below, it really pushes guys to really do everything they can to be the best player that they can be.
“And, by doing that, I think that takes care of any other Tour that comes competing against the PGA Tour or the European Tour.”
Horschel, a member of the PGA Tour’s Player Advisory Council that is currently chaired by Rory Mcilroy, believes some of his fellow players share his view.
“When I hear other players say, ‘well, we should get more of the money or you guys need to look at taking care of the lower guys’, are those guys doing the same thing I’m doing to be the best player they are?” he added.
“If they're not, why should they get a handout just because they're not playing as top golf as some other players?”
The 34-year-old Florida player, 12 years a professional, continued: “It sounds like I'm trying to maybe attack the lower guys or the guys that are lower on either Tour, but I'm not. All I'm saying is that are you doing everything you can to be the best player you can?
“If you aren't, we shouldn't just be giving you handouts because you got your PGA Tour card and you're not making as much as some other guys. We should be rewarded for playing great golf, not for mediocrity.”