Tour News

For $10 million, should Horschel stay or should he go?

Published

10 years ago

Sep 12, 2014

Billy Horschel faces an extreme example of a classic PGA Tour player dilemma at the Tour Championship this weekend. Should he withdraw from a tournament he has a chance to win if his wife goes into labor, or should he stick around and try to win that child a trust fund?

Hunter Mahan pleaded his case for husband of the year in 2013 when he left a two-stroke lead behind at the RBC Canadian Open last year to be by his wife’s side when she went into labor. Horschel’s situation, however, could lead to a bigger payout than the one Mahan left on the table. In this case, the PGA Tour’s $10 million FedEx Cup is up for grabs along with the Tour Championship’s $1.44 million first-place check.

Horschel, who leads the Tour Championship by two shots after Round 2, is in prime position to capture the prize. Yet if his wife goes into labor this weekend — she’s due within the next two weeks– the couple has decided that Horschel will not be notified until after his round, at which point he will fly back to Florida to be with his wife.

Since the Tour Championship field includes only 29 golfers, not the 75 or so that are usually playing on a PGA Tour weekend, Horschel should be able to catch a flight back for the next day’s round.

“I will just keep playing, because $10 million is a lot of money and I’m not going to pass that by,” Horschel said.

Horschel is currently ranked No. 2 in the Playoff standings. His recent hot streak includes a T2 finish at the Deutsche Bank Championship two weeks ago and a victory at the BMW Championship.

“I’m just anxious for it to happen,” Horschel said. “I’m anxious for the baby to get here. I’m anxious to have a chance to win $10 million.”

Anxious? What’s there to be anxious about?

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Andrew Tursky

He played on the Hawaii Pacific University Men's Golf team and earned a Masters degree in Communications. He also played college golf at Rutgers University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism.

21 Comments

T-MAC

Sep 15, 2014 at 10:36 am

Well, it looks like it worked out pretty well for the Horschel’s.
And in case anyone was wondering, they discussed it and his wife told him to stay and play. That’s a lot of money to walk away from and he was playing VERY well at the time so she/they knew he had a good shot at it.
I’d say they made the right choice.

Reply Report comment
Chris

Sep 14, 2014 at 12:04 am

2 weeks away, this is a non story!!!!

Reply Report comment
Desmond

Sep 13, 2014 at 11:10 am

The article implies that Billy and his wife discussed their options and made a choice … I believe any woman would want a valid opportunity to gain $10m, even if she says, “no, I want you here…” $10m buys time with a shrink for the wife to get over it.

Reply Report comment
- jack nickelass
  
  Sep 13, 2014 at 1:05 pm
  
  You’d have to have rocks in your head to miss a chance at 10 million — video the birth and watch it later.
  
  Reply Report comment
paul

Sep 13, 2014 at 10:35 am

He has won millions already. I would ditch the course if my wife went into labor even if I had a chance to win ten million. He won an event and took a t2 so he is very well off from just two events recently. How ever if its a first child the labour could be a whole day long and he has time to get there. If its a second child he may not have time to finish the hole and the baby could be born already.

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Steve

Sep 13, 2014 at 9:31 am

If this were the NFL being discussed, one would need the option of “stay home and beat the wife.”

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Eric

Sep 13, 2014 at 6:55 am

This is in poor taste Wrx Mods. I rarely comment on the Mods plans and direction because I agree with most of it, but if we can’t discuss hot button issues ( race, religion, politics) then we should take the high ground on a family’s choice. You didn’t come up with a questions like, ” Should Amy Mickelson leave Phil because he is under investigation? or DJ’s Out..Should Paulina do the Same?” This isn’t TMZ.. Maybe Wrx should just withdraw this article.

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JohnnyT

Sep 13, 2014 at 6:04 am

Seriously, this place is getting ridiculous. First, it’s Rory “throwing rocks at the elderly”, now we’re “debating” a personal family choice of a player?

Golfwrx is looking more like a British tabloid every day.

Reply Report comment
- Pat
  
  Sep 13, 2014 at 6:23 am
  
  I totally agree this is becoming seriously ridiculous
  
  Reply Report comment
  - Cwolf
    
    Sep 13, 2014 at 7:18 am
    
    Agreed
    
    Reply Report comment
    - Rich
      
      Sep 13, 2014 at 9:12 am
      
      +3
      
      Reply Report comment
      - bob vila
        
        Sep 14, 2014 at 5:45 am
        
        +4 This is a golf equipment website, let’s stick to that.
        
        Reply Report comment
- Desmond
  
  Sep 13, 2014 at 2:28 pm
  
  IS this golfwrx or TMZ?
  
  Reply Report comment
ams165

Sep 12, 2014 at 11:34 pm

Have another baby and make sure you there.

It will be his first birth attended….

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Rich

Sep 12, 2014 at 7:44 pm

It’s a personal decision for the Horschel’s. No one has the right to judge or comment either way.

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- Scott Rose
  
  Sep 12, 2014 at 9:51 pm
  
  Rich is 100% correct…this isn’t even a topic for public discussion.
  
  Reply Report comment
Ken

Sep 12, 2014 at 7:13 pm

It’s disappointing that ‘STAY, PLAY, and SKYPE’ was not an option.

Reply Report comment
moses

Sep 12, 2014 at 6:37 pm

For $10mil he’s gotta stay. Win sets him and future generations up with financial security.

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Barney Norman

Sep 12, 2014 at 4:08 pm

What is with the PGA and their family values stuff? Come on, 10 million dollars or go to a hospital and do nothing.

What a crock of crap. The kid and the wife would be way happier with the 10 Mill then him being there. That is the truth.

Reply Report comment
ih8

Sep 12, 2014 at 3:51 pm

Have a go at 10 mil or attend an event where your being there has no effect at all? Tough choice (sarcasm). Lets be real, he can’t help his wife (birth coaching is nonsense) and his kid won’t remember squat about it….so why not go for the 10 mil? Especially considering his wife is cool with it. I’m glad Billy stood up and said something honest as opposed to the insipid family drivel we usually get.

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- Courtoni20
  
  Sep 12, 2014 at 3:56 pm
  
  Just my 2 cents; the wife would say stay you idiot! however, after experiencing the birth of my 2 boys, its an experience that is priceless to me. He’s already a millionaire so it would be very tough knowing what I know now to miss out on it.
  
  Reply Report comment

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