Sam

Horsfield

Horsfield has been out of action since a WD at the Saudi International in February but getting a chance to return this week. Prior to that mid-tourney WD in the Middle East, he had racked up top 15s in four of five starts. His form is a bit of a question mark given the long layoff but he does have a T9 in his only previous attempt at the Zurich Classic (2019 while paired with Ian Poulter). As for Wallace, he arrives on the heels of six straight missed cuts. The switch in formats may serve him well, at least he hopes so. This duo has combined to win six DP World Tour events but both are still searching for their breakout wins on the PGA TOUR circuit.

The 25-year-old Englishman finished at 8-under 280, four strokes out of the playoff won by Norway’s Viktor Hovland. Horsfield, a two-time winner on the DP World Tour (2020 Celtic Classic, 2020 Hero Open), finished T-12 the week prior at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in his first start of the calendar year. Last season, he made 17 cuts in 21 starts with five top-10 finishes including a T-3 at the Kenya Savannah Classic. He’s listed in the field this week for the DPWT’s inaugural Ras al Khaimah Championship at Al Hamra GC in Ras Al Khaimah, UAB.

The 25-year-old Englishman won twice during the 2020 season but “settled” for six top 10s without a win last season. He’s reached as high as 79th in the OWGR, flirting with WGC status, but currently sits at 115th. Horsfield ended last season ranked top 30 in driving distance, greens in regulation, putts per GIR. That’s a strong combination for the youngster and should lead to more Stateside opportunities in the near future. As of now, he’s played in 16 total events on the PGA TOUR, earning paychecks in seven of them and landing top 25s in two.

The 24-year-old Englishman won the 2020 Celtic Classic, which was also held at Celtic Manor, by two strokes over of Belgium’s Thomas Detry to claim a second European Tour title in the space of 14 days. “To win a second title in the space of just two weeks was a fantastic feeling, especially at a venue as iconic as Celtic Manor,” said Horsfield, who captured his first career ET win at the Hero Open by a shot over Detry. “Obviously I have some great memories of the course, so hopefully I can tap into those feelings and have another good week in Wales.” The University of Florida alum arrives in Wales off a T-67 finish at the Open Championship for his second major appearance of the season (he finished T-49 at the PGA Championship). Horsfield has four top 10s on the season as well, including a T-3 at the Kenya Savannah Classic, a solo fourth at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open and, most recently, a T-5 at the BMW International. In one other start at the event, previously known as the Wales Open, Horsfield was T-44 in 2020 thanks to a 6-under 65 on Sunday.

ZJ was in the hunt last week at TPC Deere Run but settled for T34 after a Sunday 71. Johnson sports a strong resume at The Open but won’t get a chance to improve upon that in 2021. His record at The Open includes a trio of top 10s with the 2015 victory at St. Andrews being the obvious highlight. Posting pre-tourney WDs this morning as well were Louis de Jager (COVID-19) and Ryan Moore (back injury). Golfers that gained entry after those WDs were Adam Long, Sam Horsfield, and Dylan Frittelli.

The 24-year-old University of Florida alum has notched three top 10s on the season as well, including a T-3 at the Kenya Savannah Classic and a solo fourth at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open. Horsfield didn’t play in last week’s U.S. Open, so he won’t have to contend with jet lag and perhaps can convert on several notable stats for his third European Tour win. He ranks first in putts per GIR (1.69), second in Strokes Gained: Approach (+1.23) and third in scoring average (69.07) on the European Tour. Last month, Horsfield made two PGA Tour starts and went 1-for-2 in cuts made, missing out on weekend action at the Valspar Championship before finishing T-49 at the PGA Championship, 11 strokes behind winner Phil Mickelson. Most recedntly, he finished T-25 at the Scandinavian Mixed. In two previous starts at the BMW event, Horsfield made the cut both times (T-21 in 2019, T-59 in 2018).

This is the Englishman’s fourth overall major, missing three cuts at the U.S. Open, most recently the 2019 playing at Pebble Beach (75-74). Overall, it’s his 15th PGA TOUR event with one prior top 10 among two top 25s, a T9 at the 2019 Zurich in his debut on a sponsor exemption, teamed with countryman Ian Poulter. The University of Florida product is in the top 10 after 18 holes for a second time, first since T7 at the 2017 John Deere as an open-qualifier, where he faded to T55 (66-73-67-71). On 10 (of 14) fairways and 12 greens in regulation, he posted 1.030 SG: Off-the-Tee, 1.147 SG: Approach, 0.988 SG: Around, and 3.473 SG: Tee-to-Green. The 24-year-old squared two bogey-5s at 13 and 4 (failed scrambles), outpaced by five circles at 11, 14, 16, 6 and 7, two from between 11 and 24 feet. He registered 1.583 putts per GIR and 2.236 SG: Putting with 26 total putts, aided by a hole-out par at 3 from 15'4" away. Horsfield checked in off a T21 at last week’s Betfred British Masters, preceded two weeks prior by a missed cut at the Valspar on a sponsor invite (71-71).

The Florida Gator has played in three majors, all U.S. Opens, and he missed the cut in all three. This time around he arrives as a two-time European Tour winner and boasts top-25 finishes in five of his last six worldwide starts. The lone exception was a missed cut when he played the Valspar Championship at the end of April. The 24-year-old Englishman has all the tools to compete regularly on the PGA TOUR so it’s just a matter of time before he picks up his first paycheck in a major. Horsfield currently ranks 1st on the European Tour in strokes gained approach and 25th in putting. That is a strong recipe for success on any course.

The Florida Gator enters the week with four straight top 15s on his resume, all on the European Tour. Highlights include a T3 at the Kenya Savannah Classic and a solo fourth last week at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open. No time to rest for the youngster as he now has the rare opportunity to peg it on the PGA TOUR, thanks to a sponsor’s invite. This will be his 14th time teeing it up on the PGA TOUR with a T14 at the 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational going as the lone top 30 for stroke-play appearances with a T9 at the Zurich Classic team event in 2019. Weekly gamers may want to give him a look if they need a value option to round out their roster.