Billy Horschel just won his second BMW PGA Championship title at Wentworth with an eagle on the second playoff hole. Horschel, Rory McIlroy, and Thriston Lawrence had tied at 20-under par after the fourth round, and Horschel emerged victorious by beating the two. McIlroy, despite a strong performance, narrowly missed claiming the title, and the win cemented Horschel’s position among golf’s elite, so what went wrong? Well, a lot as per the golf fans.

However, here’s when things get interesting. During the playoff, Lawrence exited with a bogey on the first extra hole, while Horschel and McIlroy birdied. A crucial intervention by a rules official prevented any potential controversy by calling off Horschel’s shot to allow Lawrence to mark his ball. What happened after the pro’s win was that he did not look the rule official in the eye while shaking his hand.

This was brought to notice by one of the X pages run by Tron Carter. The post’s author further noted, “Tough to express how disappointed I am in Billy for dressing down the rules official for doing the right thing. And for Thriston Lawrence even putting them in that spot. Unsporting behavior! Expect much more from Horschel, who I’ve really come back around on.”

Later, Carter shared one more update on the situation, and wrote on X, “Correction: just rewatched and the rules official called him off the shot so that Lawrence could mark. Could’ve been an absolutely disgusting act from Horschel!” Well, whatever happened, happened. The accusations soon died with this update.

Did the golfer say anything about the heat he faced after the tournament? No, not really. But Horschel did speak up about his experience on the field and how he was feeling after winning the tournament.

Billy Horschel reflects on his recent win over Rory McIlroy

In a nail-biting finale at the BMW PGA Championship, Billy Horschel made history by becoming the first American to win the event twice. And his eagle putt edged out dear friend Rory McIlroy which has apparently left Horschel with mixed emotions.

“I’m thrilled, excited for the way I played,” Horschel said, his voice filled with gratitude. “At the same time, I’m a little disappointed. Rory is a really good friend of mine, a generational talent, and he’s been so close this year.” Horschel’s empathy for McIlroy’s narrow loss was pretty genuine. “I feel for him,” he admitted highlighting the bond between them.

The final round saw an incredible turnaround, with Horschel starting in second place after being tied with McIlroy and three strokes behind leader Matteo Manassero. Thriston Lawrence’s seven birdies which included a breathtaking 26-foot putt at the 16th momentarily shook up the leaderboard as he took the third spot. McIlroy’s eagle putt from 46 feet at the 17th tied him for the lead and he was ready on the stage for a thrilling playoff. However, in the end, Horschel’s eagle on the second playoff hole secured his victory.

Despite not being at the top of his game, Horschel credited the fate of his win today; “There was a lot of luck on my side to get this victory today. I gave it my all on every shot and ground it out – that’s what I did today. That’s what you have to do when you’re not firing on all cylinders.” 

What do you think about Horsechel’s victory today? Let us know in the comment section below!