Billy Horschel says whether he’s surprised by decision the likes of Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele have made since the end of the PGA Tour season

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Billy Horschel’s 2024 season will largely be remembered for what he achieved while playing on the DP World Tour.

The American’s historic BMW PGA Championship will go down in Wentworth folk law after he made an eagle on the second playoff hole to beat Rory McIlroy. The 37-year-old also went on to compete at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and Open De France before heading back over the Atlantic.

Horschel’s DP World Tour exploits have set an example for PGA Tour players, with several big names reluctant to make the trip to play some of the world’s most iconic courses.

The prospect of Scottie Scheffler or Xander Schauffele competing at Wentworth or Royal County Down is mouthwatering but also, at the moment, doubtful.

Billy Horschel shares verdict on PGA Tour decision

• READ MORE: Billy Horschel discloses what Rory McIlroy did after he beat him in a playoff to win the BMW PGA Championship

Speaking during his pre-tournament press duties ahead of the DP World Tour Championship, Horschel was asked whether he was surprised about the lack of PGA Tour stars in the European Tour fields.

“Yes and no. I’ve talked about this quite a bit,” Horschel said.

“Listen, I have a different view of the game of golf and the world of golf. I grew up watching The European Tour and envisioning coming over here and playing these events. Even as I turned pro early in my career, I still watched a ton of it and envisioned coming over and playing.

“So you know, like I said, my college coach said if you want to be a world-class player, global player, you’ve got to travel around the world ask play well, and you’ve got to win events to consider yourself a world-class player. I don’t fault the guys in America. That’s the decision they made, but listen, when the Tour started doing financially a lot better than the DP World, or European Tour at the time, 20 years ago, it changed the ways that guys don’t have to travel, and guys are very much American-centric.”

Horschel continued: “Like I said, I don’t fault them for it, but I think they would have — I think when you think about the game of golf, giving back and travelling around the world where people can watch and you see you take pictures with you, sign autographs, that’s one way to sort of give back to the game of golf.

“And I think they would grow as people, too, by travelling more around the world and experiencing more cultures, different languages, and everything. Listen, I always encourage guys to travel and come over and play, even if it’s a couple of events out of the year. At the end of the day, it’s their decision, and they do what’s best for them. You can’t fault them for the decision they make.”

Billy Horschel eyes strong DP World Tour finish

Horschel’s form since the Scottish Open has been impressive. The American has missed just one cut and has been in contention to win on at least three occasions.

Horschel was unfortunate not to triumph at The Open Championship but bounced back brilliantly in pressurised circumstances at the BMW.

Now, the 37-year-old will be looking to put his recent missed cut at the Open de France behind him and finish what has been a memorable season positively.

Hopefully, the BMW PGA Championship winner’s recent schedule will be replicated by other US-based players moving forward, and it will undoubtedly attract interest in the midst of what is a largely stale PGA Tour fall product.