Billy Horschel returned to the first tee at Wentworth in September as the reigning champion. It had been four months since he had played. He had hip surgery, which ended his hopes of playing in the Ryder Cup. He missed the cut by one stroke at the BMW PGA Championship, with rounds of 73 and 70 putting him one-under par, barely below the cutline. Months after that difficult return, the 38-year-old has finally opened up about his recovery period.

In May, Horschel was positioned 16th in the Ryder Cup standings after a runner-up finish at The Open. But he withdrew from the Zurich Classic. Reason? Hip surgery: A preventive measure, he confirmed.

“I was disappointed,” Horschel said on the Golf Channel. “Being in the best position of my career… to make a Ryder Cup team. I was coming off playing well in majors in ’24 and was really excited about ’25. I thought this was going to be the year I finally win a major and make a Ryder Cup team, finally checking some of the boxes that are still unchecked.”

Still, Horschel found a way to channel that frustration. He had always prepared mentally for injury, having been a professional for close to two decades.

“I hit a lot of golf balls and I practice,” Horschel explained. “At some in time the body was going to just wear and tear, and something needed to be fixed.”

He considered himself fortunate that it was a hip issue and viewed it as “the easiest thing you can get fixed.”

That break became unexpectedly valuable.

Horschel reflected on the 16 years of his career, what he had done, what remained to achieve, and how he intended to start the next chapter post-surgery. He was concerned about how people saw him in public, especially on the ropes versus during TGL, where his Atlanta Drive team won the championship.

“When I’m competing, I can be very serious, and it doesn’t always look like I’m enjoying it,” the golfer said. “But inside, I am enjoying the challenge.”

However, the physical recovery tested his patience in different ways.

The rehab followed a straightforward process, but the mental game proved harder. Around the eight-to-ten week mark, Horschel felt his hip was ready and wanted to push harder. He lifted heavier weights and accelerated training. His physical therapist, Sophie, kept applying what he called “a handbrake.”

“I gave her a hard time,” Horschel admitted. “But she was really good with my rehab. I thank her a lot for everything she’s done. We’re in a position we are now because of her.”

When Horschel returned to competition, the psychological hurdles matched the physical ones. He wasn’t worried about reinjury. When the body feels good and pain-free, confidence returns. But there was an issue he observed almost instantly.

“There were just times, I’m like, ‘Gosh, I have no speed,’ and I feel like, ‘God, this sucks, am I going to be this slow for the next six years of my life?'” the golfer said.

As his body continued to improve, those fears faded. His mobility came back. He wasn’t completely happy yet because he knew he could still improve his speed after surgery. But he had gotten stronger because of it.

Horschel’s missed cut at Wentworth hurt, and he missed his chance of playing in the 2025 Ryder Cup. But he has promised to return as a full-time DP World Tour player in 2026.

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Billy Horschel eyes full 2026 slate with OWGR position in play

Billy Horschel will compete in 2026 thanks to his Official World Golf Ranking. He was rated 45th in the OWGR after tying for 11th at the Bank of Utah Championship in early December 2025. This kept him in the top 50 bubble, affecting his early-season starts and major invites.

He will receive an invitation to the 2026 Masters at Augusta National and a greater priority in early PGA Tour events if he maintains a position in the top 50 by year’s end. They get better signature event access. This allows them to design their schedule without sponsor exclusions or category reshuffles.

A decent performance in Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas was enough to secure the PGA Tour veteran a qualifying spot.

Currently ranked 48th, Billy Horschel may play most PGA Tour tournaments in 2026 because he is exempt and in good standing.

Since returning from hip surgery and playing events in 2025, Horschel has maintained his ranking. Instead of resting, he is competing during the winter. This shows that he wants to build momentum and enter the biggest tournaments, including majors and other tours that shape the competitive arc in 2026.