PGA Tour golfer fumes at commentators because of Money: “I despise it, honestly, to tell you the truth”

PGA Tour golfer Billy Horschel has expressed his strong displeasure with how golf commentators frequently emphasize the monetary stakes during tournament broadcasts. Horschel, known for not shying away from sharing his opinions, recently voiced his frustration, particularly concerning the Tour Championship, where the substantial prize money is often highlighted.

The 37-year-old golfer revealed that he has even approached the PGA Tour to request that they communicate with TV crews to reduce the focus on financial rewards. Horschel is particularly irked by the constant mentions of the prize money during the Tour Championship, where the purse reaches a staggering $75,000,000. Last year’s champion, Viktor Hovland, secured an $18,000,000 bonus, while Horschel himself earned $10,000,000 when he won in 2014.

Horschel’s concerns stem from the belief that fans do not want to be repeatedly reminded of the vast sums of money players are competing for, as it can make the viewers feel alienated. “I hate talking about the financials of it. I despise it, honestly, to tell you the truth,” Horschel said on the Smylie Show podcast, hosted by former PGA Tour pro Smylie Kaufman. He added, “For many years now, I’ve told the tour—especially at the Tour Championship—that we need to tell TV to stop talking about how much money the FedEx Cup winner gets because I know people don’t want to know about the millions of dollars they make.”

Horschel has been a member of the PGA Tour since 2011 and has accumulated $39,221,692 in official prize money. Despite a challenging year in 2023, which saw him break down in tears at the Memorial Tournament after a rough start as the defending champion, Horschel managed to bounce back. In April, he ended a two-year winless streak by capturing the Corales Puntacana Championship in the Dominican Republic. He also performed well at the final men’s major of the year, tying for second place with Justin Rose, while Xander Schauffele claimed victory at The Open at Royal Troon.

Horschel is currently competing in the Wyndham Championship, where he shot an impressive 8-under in the opening round, trailing leader Beau Hossler by just two shots. Hossler flirted with a historic round of 59 but ultimately settled for a 60.