Billy Horschel Reveals He’s Changed His Mind Over FedEx Cup Playoffs Spots

Billy Horschel, the 2014 FedEx Cup champion, believes the number of players making it through to the season-ending Playoffs should be increased.

The former champion of the lucrative finale to the PGA Tour season currently sits 119th in the FedExCup standings, which in years past would have been a good enough position to see the American through to the first Playoff event.

However, it’s no longer the top 125 that advance when the regular season finishes, that number having been slashed by 55 to just 70 players.

It means Horschel has a lot of work to do if he’s to prolong his season, although the player is keen to stress he's not having a moan, for he played a role in seeing those changes come into effect.

“I was a part of those (Player Advisory Council) meetings at the time and I was part of the top players group discussing some of these changes,” he said. “I think we all thought 70 was a good number.”

With only two regular season events left in the PGA Tour season, the 36-year-old finds himself a long way off where he needs to be ahead of this week’s 3M Open, although the man from Florida isn’t putting any pressure on himself.

“I sort of consciously realized I may not make the Playoffs this year about a month, month and a half ago and I wasn't going to worry about the FedExCup Playoffs,” he said, ahead of the tournament at TPC Twin Cities.

“As much as I want to be a part of it, as much as I love being in that arena and trying to win another FedExCup trophy, I just couldn't stress about that anymore, I couldn't worry about it anymore.

“I'm fortunate enough I've got a card for the next three or four years based off the wins I've had the last couple years.”

Talking further about the changes that were made to the number of players advancing to the FedEx Cup Playoffs, Horschel added: “Looking back at it and talking with some guys, we're thinking maybe that number needs to be a little bit more. 

“Maybe it needs to be around 100, maybe it needs to be around 90. I don't know if that's been talked about at PAC meetings, I don't know if that's even been discussed or if there's even a chance of that being changed next year.

“Knowing how the Tour works, they're not going to change something within one year the majority of the time. They're going to give it a little while.

“But I think it would be probably a little bit better if that number was a little bit higher.

“At the same time I understand why we have 70, 50, 30. We'll see how it works out. But yeah, that 70 number is a lot daunting now sitting in this seat not playing good golf to where I was a year ago when I was playing really quality golf and I never worried about that at all.”

Nine years ago, Horschel finished tied second at the Deutsche Bank Championship, before claiming back-to-back victories at the BMW and Tour championships.

Now, though, he needs his very best golf just to advance – the same of which can be said of Justin Thomas, Shane Lowry, Gary Woodland and Adam Scott, all of whom are facing an early exit.