Let’s get a few things straight:
1.) Billy Horschel is one of the best golfers in the world;
2.) Billy Horschel is NOT a Shababa; and
3.) I would be thrilled if Billy Horschel were to win the FedEx Cup.
That being said, I bring up Mr. Horschel because as every interested golfer now knows, Billy Horschel hit one shot in last week’s Deutsche Bank Championship that probably cost him the tournament.
In fact, he hit the shot like a Shababa!
Situation: 72nd hole, the par five at TPC Norton. Horschel trails leader Chris Kirk by one stroke. A birdie at the last – and Horschel had birdied the eighteenth three days in a row – would get him into a playoff with Kirk.
Horschel absolutely smoked his drive right down the pipe, and was left with a “mere” 198 yards to the green, situated on the far side of a bushy gorge. No problem.
Horschel pulled out his six iron … and proceeded to CHUNK it into the gorge, not even coming close to reaching the green.
A six iron in hand, 198 yards to the target, the most important shot of the tournament … and Horschel CHUNKS it into the gorge. “The worst swing I made all week.”
Sound familiar?
Of course it does; it’s what WE do!
But guess what? From time to time, so do THEY!
From Chapter Eighteen of The Manifesto: “If there’s but one tiny sliver of common ground on which we Shababas just might stand with Tiger, Rory, and Phil, it’s the fact that no matter how much we hope – or how much they practice – before we swing the club we really have no surefire, 100 percent, rock-solid idea where that little white ball is going to go.”
Just ask Billy Horschel.
(Good news: Billy H. bounced back to post a two-under par 68 in the first round of The BMW Championship.)
I didn’t see Billy Horschel at TPC Norton, but your words sure did remind me of beloved Costantino Rocca at the 1995 British Open. Who could forget him putting himself out of the Valley of Sin (aka Shababa-dom) to force a playoff? Where, if I recall, he proceeded to play like a Shababa anyways.
I know that CR lost in the four-hole playoff; I don’t know if he played like a Baba during it.
E. Els
Hope everyone survived the Shababa COLD Open!!!!
With bells and beers on, Senator, bells and beers!
Scotty T prevailed by one over – Guess Who? – Freddie Rinaldi!
Luv, E. Els