Rónán MacNamara in Royal Troon
Two seasons ago West Ham United won their first European trophy in 58 years when they won the UEFA Conference League. Under the stewardship of David Moyes they became a club who steadily went through the levels.
They say you become an embodiment of the team you support and West Ham fanatic Billy Horschel of America has been someone who has slowly progressed in his career.
Horschel counts the FedEx Cup, BMW PGA Championship and a World Golf Championship among some of the big titles he has won on the PGA Tour.
West Ham’s owners have designs on grabbing a seat at Europe’s top table by breaking into the UEFA Champions League while Horschel himself hasn’t been able to reach the top level in golf yet with just two top-10 finishes eleven years apart in his major championship career.
Horschel is a popular figure on both sides of the Atlantic and he is in a good position to charge over the weekend at the Open Championship on two-under-par and has been walking the fairways of Royal Troon with his now famous Claret and Blue West Ham golf bag.
“Whenever I come over here the West Ham bag always comes out I love to hear the ‘up the hammers’ or ‘come on you irons’ and I’ve been very fortunate that other supporters of other clubs have been gracious enough to be nice to me compared to how they would be to another English West Ham fan,” smiled Horschel.
It’s been a summer of change for the Irons with former Spanish boss Julen Lopetegui entrusted with providing a modern spark on the solid progress made by the departed David Moyes.
Despite some mixed league positions, Moyes gave West Ham some memorable European runs in both the Europa and Conference Leagues and while in Troon, Horschel gave his backing to the former Manchester United and Everton manager to take a seat in the Scotland dugout in the near future.
“I think Julen is going to do a good job. I’m excited. David Moyes was awesome. He took the club from one spot to another, and I think it’s time to pass the torch. I think Julen is going to do a good job, and I think David has got something up his sleeve in the next couple of years. I think the maybe Scottish National job manager is going to be his.”
If West Ham are to kick on and cement themselves as top-6 regulars and top-4 challengers they will need to fill the void left by Declan Rice who moved across London to Arsenal last year.
Two-time Premier League winner N’golo Kante has been linked with a move to the London Stadium for £20 million from the Saudi Pro League but at 33 Horschel doesn’t believe West Ham will get bang for their buck.
“I saw that this morning. $20 million for a 33-year-old, I don’t think that’s really good business, so I don’t think that’s going to happen,” added Horschel who believes his modest Open record where his best finish was T21 in 2022 is deceiving having shot an opening 67 in Troon in 2016 before a second round 85 saw him miss the cut.
“I’ve been unfortunate enough to be on the bad side of some draws. Hoylake in ’14,” said Horschel who is buoyed by a first top-10 in a major in eleven years at this year’s PGA Championship.
“Here in ’16, I shot 4-under the first round, and then I proceeded to shoot 85, but if everyone remembers, the weather was pretty nasty. I got to No. 9, and the weather to that point was the most nastiest weather I’ve ever played in — blowing 30, raining sideways. It was a brute that day.
“Like I said, the record can be a little deceiving. I played Dunhill the last few years and felt better on links golf courses, and my record has been better on links golf courses, which when I come to The Open, I feel more comfortable that I have a record of quality play somewhere in links courses.
“So, yeah, that can be a little deceiving, my record.”