Billy Horschel has no sympathy for Tiger Woods, wants him at Augusta

Billy Horschel witnessed Tiger Woods’ chipping issues at Torrey Pines first hand but has no sympathy for him because he believes the struggling superstar will overcome his wedge woes.

“I don’t feel sorry for him,” Horschel said on Tuesday ahead of this week’s Tiger-less Arnold Palmer Invitational. “And it’s not because I’m trying to be mean or anything.”

Woods, Horschel contended, would figure things out and “come back a better player.

“He always does and he’s going to prove a lot of people wrong,” said Horschel about the tour’s oft-injured marquee player who has become an object of compassion for many, including analyst David Feherty.

“I never thought I’d feel sorry for him, but I do,” Feherty, commenting on the lack of privacy and respect accorded Woods, said in an interview earlier this month.

Feherty also stated that Woods had “a lot left in him” and, if healthy, would win a 15th grand slam event this year.

Horschel, who would be surprised if Woods skipped the Masters in three weeks, did not go so far as Feherty. After joking last month about feeling like “chopped liver” once Woods quit with back pain on his 11th hole at the Farmers Insurance Open, he said on Tuesday he was not ready to join the pity parade for the 14-time major champion.

“It’s tough to see Tiger play at that level like he has been,” said the 2014 FedEx Cup winner who retrieved tees for the ailing Woods at Torrey.

“If I thought his game was never going to come back, yeah, I would show him a little sympathy but I think his game will come back and he’ll come back a better player from all this,” Horschel said. “It’s tough to see but I wouldn’t say sympathy is the word to use.”

Woods’ well-documented short-game problems led to his taking an indeterminate leave from the PGA Tour after his WD in San Diego. Prior to playing with Woods and Rickie Fowler that Thursday, Horschel was spied chatting with, and seemingly offering advice to Tiger.

Horschel, who has had his own ups and downs with chipping and pitching, set the record straight on what transpired on the practice range with Woods.

“We just talked about golf swing, everything, and he mentioned a couple things about what he’s feeling in his chipping,” Horschel said. “I sort of opened my mouth probably, you know, obviously he didn’t ask me and I just offered information and he was gracious enough to let me say what I had to say and whether he took anything from it, I don’t know.”

As for whether Woods would forego Augusta for the second straight year as he will Arnie’s tourney, Horschel said he hoped not.

“Selfishly, I want to see him there. I want to see him back competing. I want to compete against him,” he said. “If I happen to win the Masters I want Tiger to be at that Masters. I want the best players in the world -- and obviously ranking may not say he’s the best player right now but we all know he’s the most talented player in the game of golf by far. So, selfishly, I want him there.”

Horschel also observed that if Woods did not play in the Masters -- or ever again in competition -- it would be for reasons other than the state of his game.

“He loves his kids so much ... He loves being a dad. Whenever I talk to him about his kids he just lights up, you see it in his face. That just shows you he loves being a father and loves being around his kids,” Horschel said. “Listen, hopefully he does come back and play on the PGA Tour again but if he decides to do something else in life, I’m not going to fault the guy.”