They would grow as people…’ Horschel fires message to Scheffler and other PGA Tour stars

Billy Horschel believes that several of his fellow American golfers, including Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele, would benefit from playing more international events, especially on the DP World Tour. Horschel, who traveled from Florida to Dubai for the DP World Tour Championship at Jumeirah Golf Estates, shared his thoughts on how broadening their schedules would help them grow both as players and individuals.

At 37, Horschel has made a notable effort to play abroad, participating in eight DP World Tour events this season. In addition to three majors (he missed The Masters), he added the Genesis Scottish Open, BMW PGA Championship, Dunhill Links, Open de France, and DP World Tour Championship to his busy schedule. His international efforts have paid off as well; he famously defeated Rory McIlroy at Wentworth to secure his second BMW PGA title since 2021 and narrowly missed his first major win with a T2 finish at The Open—his best major result in 43 appearances.

In contrast, World No. 1 Scheffler competed in only two events outside the U.S. this season—The Open in Scotland and the Olympics in France, where he won the gold medal in Paris, an emotional achievement that brought him to tears on the podium. Scheffler’s season was still dominant, with eight wins, and he captured the FedEx Cup. Other top Americans, such as World No. 2 Schauffele, No. 4 Collin Morikawa, and No. 6 Wyndham Clark, also mostly played domestically, with only a handful of appearances in Europe. Schauffele won The Open at Royal Troon, his second major of the season, while he and Morikawa also played in the ZOZO Championship in Japan, a tournament with special significance to them due to family ties. Patrick Cantlay, ranked 11th in the world, only played abroad once at The Open.

Horschel acknowledged that the heavily boosted prize purses on the PGA Tour often keep top American players close to home, but he hopes more players will branch out. “I grew up watching the European Tour,” Horschel shared. “I always envisioned coming here to play these events. Early in my career, I watched a lot of European Tour golf, and my college coach encouraged me to travel and win worldwide to become a world-class player. I don’t fault the American players; it’s their choice, but I think they’re missing something by not experiencing more of what golf has to offer internationally.”

Horschel argues that traveling and playing abroad enrich players both personally and professionally, providing valuable experiences with different cultures and languages. “You grow as a person when you travel,” he continued. “You learn to communicate with people who may not speak English as well or where you don’t speak the language. Playing on different types of courses, especially links courses, has made me a better player and person.”

Heading into the DP World Tour Championship, Horschel ranks fourth in the DP World Tour Rankings, though he is too far behind Rory McIlroy, the current leader, to claim the Race to Dubai title. Only Thriston Lawrence has a chance of overtaking McIlroy, needing to win the tournament and hope McIlroy finishes outside the top 10. McIlroy, meanwhile, is aiming for his third consecutive Race to Dubai title and his sixth overall, a record held by the legendary Seve Ballesteros.

The DP World Tour Championship, with its $10 million prize purse, will feature 50 players, and the Race to Dubai winner stands to take home $2 million.