'Listen, it hurts...' PGA Tour star on being denied captain's pick in Presidents Cup team
PGA Tour star Billy Horschel reveals his disappointment at missing out on one of Jim Furyk's six captain's picks in the US Presidents Cup team.
Billy Horschel admits 'it hurts' after failing to pick up one of Jim Furyk's six captain's picks in the 2024 United States Presidents Cup team, especially following his recent good play on the PGA Tour.
Horschel, 37, confirmed he was denied one of Furyk's six picks in an interview with Golf Channel's Matt Adams.
The 2014 FedEx Cup champion confirmed Furyk, one of his closest friends on the PGA Tour, gave him the bad news over the phone on Monday morning.
Related: Presidents Cup teams: Captain's picks in full for US and International Team
Horschel won his first PGA Tour title in nearly two years with victory at the Corales Puntacana Championship in April and he then amassed four more top-10 finishes on the circuit, including an impressive tie for second at The 152nd Open at Royal Troon in July.
But despite Horschel's mini resurgence on the PGA Tour the past six months, Furyk was not able to find a place for him on his 12-man team.
Furyk opted to pick Keegan Bradley, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Brian Harman, Russell Henley and Max Homa.
It meant no place for two-time US PGA champion Justin Thomas, who admitted he was doing everything he could at the Tour Championship last week to throw his hat into the ring for one of Furyk's picks.
Thomas was ranked 19th in the final US Presidents Cup team standings, while Horschel was ranked in 17th.
Scroll below to hear from Horschel...
Horschel told Golf Channel's Adams:
'Yeah Jim gave me a call yesterday morning, I don't know if I'm able to share where it goes, but I'm not getting picked. If I was going to get picked I wouldn't tell you, but no, Jim gave me a call yesterday morning.
"Jim is a great friend, he's been an unbelievable role model for me, both Britanny (Horschel's wife) and I are big fans of him and Tabitha (Furyk's wife). They have given us a lot of advice to us throughout the years. The reason we are so involved in our local community is because of them and what they've done in the North East Florida community, so big fans of theirs and I respect Jim tremendously.
"He gave me a call, he said I played hard but it just wasn't meant to be. I I didn't expect to make this team, I knew I was way down the list, I know made a little push at the end, but listen, it hurts because Jim is a good friend, I wanted to make the Ryder Cup team in 2018 and I wanted to make this Presidents Cup team because he was the captain. It's just not on the cards for me this year, but I'm going to play really hard next year and be apart of the Ryder Cup and Keegan's team next year."
Furyk's stars and stripes will face Mike Weir's Internationals in the last week of this month at Royal Montreal GC in Canada.
Since the Presidents Cup is organised by the PGA Tour, no LIV Golf players will be allowed to participate in the biennial contest.
LIV Golf players still remain suspended on the PGA Tour.
Related: International fans stunned as three notable PGA Tour players left out of Presidents Cup team
The United States are looking to win the Presidents Cup for a 10th consecutive year.
Should USA win again, it will mark a 13th time they have lifted the trophy since the Presidents Cup was founded in 1994.
The Internationals won in 1998 and they also tied the match in 2003.
Presidents Cup Past Results
| YEAR | WINNER | SCORE |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | United States | 17.5-12.5 |
| 2019 | United States | 16-14 |
| 2017 | United States | 19-11 |
| 2015 | United States | 15.5-14.5 |
| 2013 | United States | 18.5-15.5 |
| 2011 | United States | 19-15 |
| 2009 | United States | 19.5-14.5 |
| 2007 | United States | 19.5-14.5 |
| 2005 | United States | 18.5-15.5 |
| 2003 | Tied | 17-17 |
| 2000 | United States | 21.5-12.5 |
| 1998 | International | 20.5-11.5 |
| 1996 | United States | 16.5-15.5 |
| 1994 | United States | 20-12 |
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