Billy Horschel is hoping he can improve on his “deceiving” record at The Open as he put himself in contention to challenge for a career-defining victory in a Major Championship at Royal Troon.
On his last visit to the Ayrshire venue in 2016, he carded an 85 in squally conditions to go from joint fourth after the opening round to miss the cut.
But eight years on, Horschel followed up a one-over-par 72 on Thursday with a 68 to climb into the top ten at two under.
In his nine previous starts in the championship, the American has a best finish of tied 21st at St Andrews in 2022 but the signs are that he is well placed to improve on that this week.
“I’m very pleased,” said Horschel. “Two quality rounds of golf played and in a really good position going into the weekend – I couldn’t ask for anything more after the first two rounds.
“My record (at The Open) can be a little deceiving. I've been unfortunate enough to be on the bad side of some draws. Hoylake in '14. Here in '16, I shot four under in 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 nastiest weather I've ever played in, blowing 30, raining sideways. It was a brute that day.
“I’m a heck of a lot better player than I was in 2016 so hopefully, if I was in those conditions again, I could handle it a little bit better.”
While Horschel’s round in 2016 featured four double bogeys, including three in successive holes, this time around he opened with back-to-back birdies and picked up further shots at the eighth and 16 after a bogey, the only blemish on his card, at the third.
The World Number 62 has won multiple times on both the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour and been a consistent figure at golf’s biggest events over the past decade, but a Major success remains elusive.
With hindsight, Horschel puts the fact he has just two top tens at Majors down to a belief perfection is required – something he has come to learn is not the case.
“The majors mean so much to me,” said Horschel of his desire to claim one of the sport’s biggest honours. “It's a legacy thing. You can submit your legacy in the game of golf by winning a major, by winning multiple majors.
“I've always felt I've had the game to play well in majors. I just had to get out of my own way.
“I've always felt like I needed to be perfect. You've got to play perfect golf in majors to be able to win.
“I know that isn't the case, but it was just one of those things where in certain cases I'm probably a slow learner, and in the majors case I am a slow learner in learning how to approach the majors. I've done a better job the last couple years.”
