Billy Horschel finds PGA Tour winner’s circle again at Corales Puntacana Championship

Horschel — one of the most outwardly competitive players in golf — has been searching for consistency since his last PGA Tour victory, at the Memorial in 2022. The 37-year-old has as many top-20s as missed cuts (four) this season.

“I think back to where I was a year ago, and to where I am now. I’ve seen the signs. The game’s been in a really good spot all year. The stats have shown it. I finally have gotten some results over the last month. One of the reasons I came down here was because I didn’t want another week off. I’ve been playing well.”

After his performance in the DR, though, Horschel ranks 10th in total strokes gained in 2024 — up from 102nd from 2022-23. He ranks 18th in putting. His rhythm on the greens paid dividends at Puntacana.

“It’s been heating up,” said Horschel about his flatstick. “I’ve been seeing signs of having unbelievable putting weeks. This one of those weeks when I had an unbelievable putting week.”

Bryan, who opened with a 63 on Thursday, was vying to join Austin Eckroat as the second wire-to-wire winner on the PGA Tour in 2024.

The Corales Puntacana Championship marked Horschel’s 333rd start on the PGA Tour.

Horschel failed to qualify for the 2023 FedEx Cup Playoffs and slid to 84th in the Official World Golf Ranking. Yet, he was still the highest-ranked player in the Additional (aka “opposite field”) Event.

28 of the top 30 players in the OWGR are in Hilton Head, South Carolina, for the RBC Heritage, a Signature Event, at Harbour Town. (Sunday’s final round was suspended for inclement weather, with Masters champion Scottie Scheffler seemingly en route to his fourth PGA Tour victory in five starts).

By winning the event, Horschel secures qualification into the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla (May 16-19). He also qualifies for the remaining signature events on the PGA Tour calendar: the Wells Fargo (May 9-12), the Memorial (June 6-9), and the Travelers (June 20-23).

“I didn’t want to sit home and watch someone else win a tournament that I could have done something about,” he said. “Listen, I mean, I haven’t been in an opposite-field event for a long time. Sometimes you gotta take your medicine because of where you’ve been int he game. I’m happy I came down here.”

Horschel will pocket $720,000 of the $4 million purse. He also earned 300 FedEx Cup points and moved up 31 places in the points standings, from 76th to 45th.

Horschel will team up with Tyson Alexander at the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans next week.