Honda Classic: Billy Horschel calls for PGA Tour schedule change to avoid ‘disappointing’ pitch | Golf News

Sungjae Im, Billy Horschel and Shane Lowry are the very best ranked gamers in motion at PGA Nationwide this week for the Honda Basic; Watch the primary stay protection Thursday from 1.30pm on Sky Sports activities Golf earlier than full protection from 7pm

Billy Horschel believes a change to the PGA Tour schedule is required to assist the Honda Basic construct on a “disappointing” subject and convey extra large names again to the occasion.

Honda ends its 42-year run as title sponsor of the PGA Tour this week, with none of the world’s prime 10 gamers competing at one of many Tour’s most iconic venues.

That is largely as a result of the Honda Basic follows the Genesis Invitational, one in every of this 12 months’s new “elevated” occasions, with the match going down earlier than the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Gamers.

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One of many highlights of {the golfing} calendar will quickly happen at The Gamers, with round the clock protection of TPC Sawgrass stay on Sky Sports activities Golf

The “Florida Swing” kicks off Thursday at PGA Nationwide, stay on Sky Sports activitiesthe place Sungjae Im is headlining as world quantity 18. Horschel can be a part of a five-event streak to keep away from lacking South Florida’s solely occasion remaining on the schedule.

“I am a bit upset with the PGA Tour within the sense that – I am not going to say they have not prioritized the Honda Basic, they’ve prioritized all of the sponsors we now have,” mentioned Horschel Wednesday. “It is at all times tough when you’ve got 47 completely different sponsors on the PGA Tour and you’ve got ‘X’ of companions on the PGA Tour to at all times please each single one in every of them.

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Relive how Rory McIlroy received the 2012 Honda Basic, securing him world primary for the primary time in his profession

“However after I was on tour in the beginning of my profession, it was a scorching occasion. You had the highest 20, all the highest 20 gamers on this planet enjoying right here. It was an occasion to play. Then, over time, it is type of been relegated to a weaker subject, for causes…planning being a very powerful factor, the place the match fell.

Honda introduced final 12 months that it could finish its run because the occasion’s title sponsor. A brand new sponsor has not been confirmed, however Horschel mentioned the PGA Tour promised him the venue would proceed to have an occasion on the schedule.

How can the PGA Tour convey extra stars to PGA Nationwide?

Horschel is one in every of dozens of tour professionals who stay in South Florida and has appealed to the PGA Tour to discover a resolution, with a transfer to a different a part of the schedule, a potential solution to encourage gamers to return to the occasion.

“You have got 30 to 40 PGA Tour execs dwelling inside a number of miles of this place and I believe you solely have a handful this week,” added Horschel. “It is disappointing, actually.

Billy Horschel is one in every of solely three gamers on this planet’s prime 30 in motion on the PGA Tour this week

“The (PGA) Tour wants to know that when you’ve got 40 guys right here who can lie of their beds, leap of their vehicles and drive 10, quarter-hour for a match, they want to ensure they put that in the correct place. (within the calendar) for all these prime gamers to play right here usually.

“We used to have two tournaments in South Florida, right here and in Doral. Now we solely have one. We’re not going to lose this one. I have been instructed that we had been going to remain right here.

“Now we simply have to determine who this sponsor might be going ahead and on the similar time we now have to ensure the date itself is in a greater place. They assured me that we’ll be right here, and I am enthusiastic about it.”

Watch the Honda Basic all through the week stay on Sky Sports activities. Advance protection begins Thursday from 1.30pm on Sky Sports activities Golf, earlier than full protection from 7pm.