Billy Horschel stood near the first tee at Wentworth last week with the kind of quiet smile that hides a thousand thoughts. Four months earlier, he was in a hospital gown, recovering from right-hip surgery. Now he was back on the DP World Tour’s biggest stage, the $9 million BMW PGA Championship, where he had once lifted the trophy. The cheers from the crowd were familiar, but the competitive rhythm felt new and slightly foreign. For Horschel, this wasn’t just another start; it was a test of patience, body, and belief.

After missing the cut by a single shot, Billy Horschel broke his silence on X. “Thanks for all the support! It was great to be back playing competitive golf again,” he wrote, adding a short video message.“Good Monday morning, everyone, hope everyone had a great weekend,” he began, first congratulating Sweden’s Alex Noren on his win. “Really cool to see Alex win, obviously he won a couple weeks ago at Betfred Masters but you know he had an injury at the beginning of the year that kept him out of the game of golf and to see him you know the game his game return fairly quickly and get back to playing quality golf and winning golf tournaments is huge motivation that I can do the same. “

Horschel explained about his nervousness, adding to that he also described his week in frank detail. “It was great to be back at like I said at Wentworth on the DP World Tour, playing golf. Obviously, after you know four months off and five months out of tournament golf, it was, you know first few days were unusual to be back at a golf tournament preparing to play golf, but I was excited to be there. The first tee shot I wasn’t nervous, I thought I was going to be super nervous but after that felt the nerves for a couple holes but overall, for two days. Unfortunately, I missed a cut by a shot. A couple sloppy decisions, wedge game particularly wasn’t great from 75 to 125 yards, but putting and short game were great.”

The numbers confirmed his assessment. Horschel opened with a 1-over 73 and followed with a 2-under 70, finishing at -1, just one stroke short of the 2-under cut line. The BMW PGA Championship carries a $9 million purse, with $1.53 million to the winner. Noren’s victory marked his second in three weeks, adding to his Betfred Masters win, while Horschel’s return drew attention for his courage and transparency in evaluating his performance. Horschel’s absence from competition since May’s hip surgery meant he had to reacclimate to tournament intensity, even without lingering pain.

Billy Horschel’s own assessment that “putting and short game were great” is backed by his season-long numbers: he ranks roughly 49th on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Putting at +0.27, an above-average mark that highlights how his touch on the greens remains a strength even after hip surgery. During his 2024 BMW PGA Championship win he posted an elite +2.65 Strokes Gained: Putting, showing he can still get hot with the flatstick, and while specific round-by-round data for the 2025 BMW PGA isn’t yet public, the fact that he missed the cut by only one shot despite struggles with wedge play suggests his putting and around-the-green work limited the damage and nearly carried him through.

Horschel concluded the video, adding, “Look forward to putting in some hard work over the next few weeks to be a little sharper when I head over to Tokyo to play in the Bay Current Classic and yeah, look forward to playing some quality golf here soon, and yeah, thank you. Everyone have a great day, and hey, rise up! Falcons won last night.” Despite the setback at Wentworth, Horschel remains committed to his comeback journey. He is scheduled to compete in the Bay Current Classic in Tokyo, aiming to build upon his recent experiences and continue his rehabilitation. His story serves as a testament to the challenges and triumphs that define a professional athlete’s career.

While Billy Horschel’s return at Wentworth ended just short of expectations, his near-miss highlighted not just the challenges of competing after a long break, but the extraordinary recovery and preparation that made his comeback possible.

Billy Horschel’s surgery setback and recovery

In May 2025, Billy Horschel underwent right hip surgery in Colorado, a preventative measure recommended by his medical team to address lingering issues that had hampered his performance earlier in the season. The surgery required a multi-month hiatus from tournament golf, forcing him to miss several key events, including majors and high-stakes PGA Tour tournaments. According to CBS Sports, the procedure was critical to prevent long-term damage and give Horschel a chance to return stronger. This step marked the beginning of a meticulous rehabilitation journey, balancing recovery with the goal of maintaining competitive readiness.

Post-surgery, Horschel engaged in an intensive physical therapy program designed to restore mobility, strengthen muscles around the hip, and ensure proper biomechanics for his swing. His routine included core strengthening, lower body exercises, and stability work critical for sustaining performance under tournament conditions. Horschel also incorporated Pilates and Barre sessions to improve flexibility and balance, which are essential in preventing re-injury. PGA Tour fitness specialist Alex Bennett collaborated with Horschel to create a tailored regimen, focusing on a safe progression from rehabilitation to high-intensity golf-specific training.

Beyond the physical hurdles, Horschel’s recovery required immense mental discipline. Being sidelined from competitive play for five months tested his patience, focus, and confidence. In his post-comeback video, Horschel reflected on the inspiration he drew from observing peers like Alex Noren, who successfully returned from injury, emphasizing that motivation and mental resilience were as crucial as physical readiness. Maintaining a positive mindset allowed him to tackle the challenging transition back to tournament conditions, even though his first outing ended with a near miss at the cut.

Horschel’s journey underscores the importance of a comprehensive recovery approach, combining surgery, targeted physical therapy, fitness conditioning, and mental preparation. While the narrow miss at Wentworth was a setback, Horschel’s methodical comeback process illustrates the perseverance required to compete at the highest level and serves as an inspiring model for athletes navigating similar challenges.