Defending champion Billy Horschel is feeling good about his game after returning from hip surgery in time to defend his BMW PGA Championship title.
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Horschel became the first American since Arnold Palmer to lift the trophy when he triumphed at Wentworth Club in 2021, and added title number two last season when he prevailed over Rory McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence in a play-off at the Rolex Series event.
With two further top tens in his five previous appearances, the 38-year-old feels there’s a good chance he could be competing for a third title on Sunday.
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The stellar field includes a host of former BMW PGA Championship winners, not least European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald, who Horschel will be vying to emulate following his back-to-back wins in 2011 and 2012.
Donald has fond memories of star spotting at the event as a kid many years before lifting the trophy, and he’s enjoying being back at a venue he loves before heading to Bethpage Black for his second consecutive stint leading Team Europe against the United States.
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A number of Donald’s team are also competing at Wentworth this week, with 2020 champion and Wentworth Club member Tyrrell Hatton enjoying the support of his home crowds before heading to New York.
Player Quotes
Billy Horschel: I think everyone is well aware of my fondness for this place and obviously the success I’ve had in the brief history of playing this golf course and this great tournament.
So, when I knew I was going to have that surgery, in discussion with the docs of when I could get back and looking at the schedule and the time, it looked like I with as going to be back in time for this. It’s nice to be back here. Rehab has gone very well. Still not 100 per cent with the hip but there’s no pain, which is a good thing and the golf game is in a decent spot for coming out of surgery.
Yes, I am (competitive enough to win). I was hesitant to answer that because I’ve got to keep everything in check. I haven’t played competitive golf for five months. I understand there’s a little bit of rust there but I feel like there’s a lot of good in my game.
I am not trying put too much pressure or expectations on myself this week or really the rest of the fall. I’m just trying to build my way back into competitive golf, build my way back into walking a tournament and getting any rust of the game off to be able to hit the ground running in ’26.
But I do feel like there’s enough good in my game right now, and I feel like I can have that for 72 holes, that there’s a good chance come Sunday I’ll be in a good position to hopefully challenge for another victory here.
