After a thrilling playoff for the BMW PGA Championship between Billy Horschel, Rory McIlroy, and Thriston Lawrence, Horschel won the trophy with an eagle putt that put him ahead of McIlroy. This is the second consecutive week that McIlroy has been atop the leaderboard but has let the lead slip and lost the top spot.

The man who beat him, Billy Horschel, sympathized with him saying, “I do feel for him a little bit that it was another opportunity that he wasn’t able to get it done.” Also mentioning that he is a good influence on the world of golf, Horschel made some very positive comments about his old friend. Despite his long and successful career, Rory McIlroy is now close to becoming known for his near misses as much, if not more, than his successes. Last week in the Irish Open at the Royal County Downs links, he lost to Rasmus Hojgaard after a late bogey.

At the time he said, “Unfortunately I’m getting used to it this year,” it would be good for him then to face almost the exact same situation only a week later. This time, though, he could see the positives in the larger picture, saying that he was happy with his game.

McIlroy’s year started with a disappointing runners-up finish at the Dubai Invitational. When the wins came in the Zurich Classic and Wells Fargo Championship, it seemed that this year would be a good year for him. However, a devastating miss of a short putt in the US Open led to being caricatured as a choker.

Although good performances throughout the year have resulted in becoming 3 in the Official World Golf Rankings, it is unfortunate that his year will be one where people sympathize with him for playing well but just not having the killer instinct that closes out wins. Billy Horschel is a prime example of this sentiment.

Billy Horschel outlines exactly why he sympathizes with Rory McIlroy

After several rounds of incredible golf on the part of Billy Horschel, which saw him make many consecutive birdies, he won the prestigious BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. But he was not blind to the struggles of his dear competitor, Rory McIlroy, and detailed what he felt about him. “Yeah, he’s a really good friend. I think the world of him. I think he’s the best player in our generation. He’s done so much for the game.”

Also speaking to the support McIlroy garners in golf, he said that he is probably the most loved golfer after Tiger Woods. He then outlined exactly why he feels sympathetic towards the 4-time major winner, “Listen, I’m a fan of golf at heart. I do play professionally on the PGA and DP World Tour but I am a golf fan and I want to see great golf and I want to see the top players play well and win, and I know he’s been close a lot this year. He has not been able to get it done and you can feel for someone like that.”

With the season almost over, McIlroy will have chances to claim trophies this year. He will be playing in the Dunhill Links Championship and then heading to the UAE to play in two events.