Horschel's Dream Becomes Reality; He Beats McIlroy and Furyk for FedEx Cup

Billy Horschel has “want to,” that intangible quality that is hard if not impossible to teach. This week, this month, he had more of it than the other 125 players who suited up for the FedEx playoffs. He won the last two events and has just captured the season-long $10 million FedEx Cup.

“I’m on cloud nine. It’s unbelievable,” he said. “The year I had, I wasn’t sure this was going to happen, but I kept believing. Everyone on my team kept believing in me.”

Horschel’s caddie, Micah Fugitt, was overcome and broke down in tears trying to talk to reporters after the round. One reason was because Horschel told Fugitt about a dream he had last December, where he woke up having seen himself win the FedEx Cup.

“There’s certain things throughout my life that have come true, and I’ve sort of seen it beforehand in my—when I sleep at night,” he explained. “I just sort of have a premonition or whatever you call it.”

Sometimes it’s good and sometimes, like when he was hit in the eye with a baseball bat, it’s not. He had a dream that would happen also.

What started as one man’s dream became his biggest victory when Horschel was able to hold off Jim Furyk and Rory McIlroy, who were his strongest competitors on Sunday.

The 15th and 16th holes were critical to his victory.

At the 15th, he made birdie on the par five, which was expected, except that his second shot landed in a greenside bunker making it a bit harder. His closest competitor, Jim Furyk, had just birdied it, also, but when Horschel followed with his own birdie, it gave him a one-shot advantage.

The next critical shot was a 30-foot putt for par at the 16th. He had to have it to stay in the lead.

“It was unfortunate I hit a bad drive,” he said. He was forced to chip out to the fairway, and his third shot landed where his second shot might have on an ordinary day.

“I see the line perfectly, and I’m thinking to myself, if I can just put the best stroke I can possibly make on it, I think this ball is going to go in the hole.” He was the only one who thought that until the ball dropped.

However, the miraculous, par-saving putt put him in the driver’s seat and he knew it.

Jim Furyk, who was one behind Horschel, was standing in the 17th fairway when the cheer for the long putt erupted. He did not think it was for birdie, even though it had that much volume.

“I heard a roar and I heard someone say ice water, so I kind of assumed that Billy knocked in a par putt,” said. ‘”We knew what was going on, to be honest with you, that I was one back. Fluff told me he (Horschel) had birdied 15, and we were one down when we were walking up 17.”  

“I knew where Jim stood,” Horschel said. “I knew where everyone else stood, and I didn’t want to give a shot back coming in. It (the putt) was obviously the key to wining the FedEx Cup Trophy and Tour Championship.”  

As he left the 18th green, Horschel needled the local fans by making the Florida Gator chomp sign. They reacted with boos because Georgia and Florida are huge rivals. 

“I love interacting with fans,” he said with a smile. “I love having a little fun, a little back-and-forth.” He added that he was proud of being a Florida Gator.

Horschel is also proud of his blue-collar upbringing and believes he had a great family life as a child.

“Neither of my parents have a college degree,” he said. “My mom has been going to college the last five or six years to get a degree, and she graduates in December.” He said she has been working full-time and going to school and called her effort "pretty amazing."

“For them to be here for this great victory that I have and with everything that comes with it, you know, my parents are—well I’m going to take care of them very well.”

And who will Horschel vote for as PGA Tour Player of the Year? Rory McIlroy.

Kathy Bissell is a Golf Writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials from the USGA, PGA Tour or PGA of America.