Golf can be an extremely humbling game at times, and 7-time PGA Tour winner Billy Horschel learned it the hard way on Thursday. After his title defense at Muirfield Village took a disastrous turn, the golfer couldn’t help but break into tears.

After Horschel’s emotional breakdown went viral, a fellow PGA Tour compatriot took to social media to sympathize with the golfer. In an honest confession, the latter also reflected upon the harsh truths of playing the game of golf.

PGA Tour golfer sheds light on the hard truths of golf

In 2022, Billy Horschel beat Aaron Wise to claim his first-ever Memorial Tournament win. This year, the PGA Tour pro returned to defend the title with the hopes of becoming the only player since Tiger Woods to attain back-to-back wins at the coveted tournament. However, his first round at Muirfield turned out to be extremely underwhelming, to say the least.

A sun-scorched day saw the golfer post a 12-over-par 84, the highest opening-round score by a defending champion in the tournament’s history. The post-round conference saw a dejected Horschel appear before the press. The golfer’s raw emotions have managed to tug at the heartstrings of many, including the PGA Tour’s Michael Kim.

Taking to Twitter, Kim acknowledged the difficulties associated with the game. “You know you’re putting in the hours but not only do those hours feel meaningless, you question why you did all that work in the first place,” he wrote. “What a crazy sport.”

The 29-year-old also expressed his disappointment over a “hard worker” like Horschel having to undergo a tough day out on the greens. The latter, meanwhile, will be hoping to find his way back into form after a dismal first round.

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PGA Tour’s Billy Horschel reflects on his performance

Going into the 2023 Memorial Tournament, fans had high expectations for Billy Horschel. After all, his sheer dominance at Muirfield last year saw the golfer claim victory by four shots! As this year’s edition kicked off, however, the 36-year-old ended up posting the highest opening-round score by a reigning champion since Jim Simons’ 80 in 1979.

The golfer, who is well-known for his fiery nature on the course, cut an emotional figure after a first round that saw him suffer three double bogeys and six bogeys. “My confidence is the lowest it’s been in my entire career,” confessed a tearful Horschel.

His Memorial Tournament setback is the latest in a string of forgettable performances. Since his Muirfield win last year, the World No. 35 has had four top-ten finishes and a whopping nine missed cuts. Nonetheless, the PGA Tour pro declared that he would not be making any excuses. “I’ll show up, and I’ll go out there and give it my all like I always do,” he declared regarding his plans for the tournament’s second round.

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Do you agree with Kim’s assessment of the game? What was your favorite moment from the first round of the Memorial Tournament? Tell us in the comments!