The PGA Tour recently reignited the debate of giving the Players Championship the fifth major status. As such, it is hard to believe that many professional golfers are withdrawing from such a competitive event. Amid all these injury withdrawals from the tournament, analysts and fans have found one common trait among many of those who withdrew, and it’s Tiger Woods’ TGL. But as fans started blaming the league, Billy Horschel has come to its defense.

“Please stop! TGL had nothing to do with my injury. And I would suspect nothing to do with the other guys,” Horschel replied to an X post blaming TGL for the injury withdrawals.

He was replying to an X post by Monday Q Info. The post listed all the TGL golfers facing injury concerns, who didn’t participate, or who withdrew from the 2026 Players Championship because of injuries. Sahith Theegala, Billy Horschel, Justin Thomas, Rory McIlroy, and Collin Morikawa are the professionals already on the list.

Of the list, Sahith Theegala, Justin Thomas, and Rory McIlroy are still playing in the event. However, they are facing injury concerns.

Rory McIlroy, for instance, withdrew from last week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026. This was because of the lower back spasms he was experiencing. The Northern Irishman decided to withdraw from Round 3, when he was at T9.

Justin Thomas, on the other hand, underwent back surgery in November 2025. He missed the start of the 2026 PGA Tour season. After several months of recovery, JT started with a TGL match against Boston Common Golf. He then debuted at the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the 2026 PGA Tour campaign.

While TGL has no direct link to the injuries of these two players, Sahith Theegala’s case is different. The American professional sustained an oblique tear during a TGL match in March 2025. This resulted in neck issues and multiple withdrawals, including from the 2025 PGA Championship.

Theegala, JT, and McIlroy are still playing the Players Championship 2026. But Billy Horschel, though eligible, didn’t participate in the event because of injury. He underwent hip surgery in May 2025 and still faces pain.

“Let’s just say the hip didn’t feel really good this morning. It was tired, it was sore, it hurt a little bit,” he revealed after the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026.

Collin Morikawa, on the other hand, withdrew from the event after just completing one hole. He couldn’t hold back pain anymore, as he tweaked his back with a swing on the 11th tee. He entered the week as 3rd favorite in betting odds, after Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.

While Horschel outright denied TGL’s fault, one could only wonder if TGL actually played a role after all these injuries. One reason that could play a role here is a lack of rest. TGL runs from February to March. Playing in two different tournaments without ample rest can take a toll on any golfer’s body. In fact, both Morikawa and McIlroy have played almost all the matches for their respective TGL teams.

Horschel’s response on social media was not the only time he stepped in to address criticism circulating around the PGA Tour. Earlier this season, the Atlanta Drive golfer also weighed in on the debate surrounding poor course conditions.

Billy Horschel defends the PGA Tour for the poor Cognizant Classic course condition

The course conditions at the $9.6 million Cognizant Classic 2026 were poor. The grass on the green was too soft, a result of overseeding. Fans and players criticized overseeding with ryegrass as it created a soft, slow “lush green carpet” that favors low scores. This even diminished the Bear Trap’s difficulty, which had once made it difficult for golfers to reach a double-under-par score.

Coming to the defense, Horschel said that it is not the Tour’s fault.

“Unfortunately, not the Tour’s fault. Owners of PGA National do it. Tour has tried to state why it shouldn’t be overseeded, but at the end of the day, it’s out of their hands,” Horschel replied to an X post.

The 8-time PGA Tour winner also advocated that the PGA Tour should have complete control over golf courses going forward.

Notably, many golfers who played at the Cognizant Classic 2026 commented on the course’s condition. Daniel Berger, who hit a bogey-free 63 opening round in 2023, said that “Clearly, the course was not the old Bear Trap that we’re used to.” His comment came as someone else, despite his round of 63, hit an even lower score of 59.

Joel Dahmen and Michael Kim also lamented the lost difficulty. These professionals support Jack Nicklaus’ view that easy setups harm the game.

Horschel’s comments during the Cognizant Classic debate show a consistent pattern of pushing back when he believes the criticism directed by fans is misplaced. That same approach was evident in his recent defense of TGL. He dismissed speculation linking the league to the wave of injuries surrounding the 2026 Players Championship.