TROON, Scotland — Billy Horschel is aware of from rain at Royal Troon. The eight-time PGA Tour winner performed within the British Open the final time it got here to the Scottish course, though his look was fast and painful. After capturing an opening-round 67 that left him in fourth place after Day 1, Horschel performed in howling rain and wind in Spherical 2, posting an 87 and lacking the minimize by XX photographs.
It’s what makes his play early on Saturday throughout the third spherical of the 2024 Open much more spectacular, Horschel making 4 birdies on the entrance 9 to get to 6 below for the match and right into a share of the lead.
“I am a heck of loads higher participant than I used to be in 2016,” Horschel mentioned in a little bit of foreshadowing on Friday, “so hopefully if I used to be in these situations then, I might deal with it loads higher than I did then.”
The rain was so robust throughout that spherical eight years in the past that Horschel turned his hat round to maintain the water from working off the invoice of his cap into his eyes. Horschel remembered that particular as a result of he additionally remembered that the motion was panned by followers on social media as being disrespectful.
“I bear in mind I turned my hat backwards concerning the 14th gap as a result of it was raining so onerous,” Then I obtained blasted on social media for having my hat backwards on the Open Championship.”
Horschel was seen doing it once more on Saturday, having determined that the repay was value any grief. Moreover, he was capable of justify it by noting a sure 15-time main winner used to do it occasionally.
“If I bear in mind accurately, I believe I’ve seen Tiger do it loads of instances.”
Adequate for Tiger, adequate for Billy.
Is it the British Open or the Open Championship? The identify of the ultimate males’s main of the golf season is a topic of continued dialogue. The occasion’s official identify, as defined on this op-ed by former R&A boss Ian Pattinson, is the Open Championship. However since many United States golf followers proceed to discuss with it because the British Open, and search information across the occasion accordingly, Golf Digest continues to make the most of each names in its protection.