Takeaways from Covering the APGA Tour's Billy Horschel Invitational

We have been on-site this week to cover the APGA Tour’s Billy Horschel Invitational at The Concession Golf Club in Florida. Thank you to Cisco for making this coverage possible.

Wednesday is the final round of the APGA Tour’s Billy Horschel Invitational Presented by Cisco. Through two days spent covering the event at Concession Golf Club, I have two clear takeaways.

1. The Value of Horschel’s Earnest Investment in the APGA

Billy Horschel tees it up at this week’s Bank of Utah Championship on the PGA Tour. He is amidst a return to action after a recent hip surgery earlier this year and needs to perform well this fall to guarantee a spot in signature events next year.

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Nonetheless, on Sunday evening and for almost the entire day on Monday, Billy was at Concession Golf Club supporting his APGA Tour event. It was refreshing to see Billy’s genuine commitment to the APGA Tour. He wasn’t simply fulfilling an obligation or checking boxes. His investment in the golfers and the success of the tour is evident. Billy takes the time to know the players personally and closely tracks their performances, not only on the APGA Tour, but also in events like Q-School. Multiple players with whom I spoke stressed that Billy makes himself available to them for whatever guidance they need as they try to break through to higher ranks in professional golf.

“Growing the game” has become a trite, often performative phrase that’s frequently used in reference to things that are much more self-serving than additive to the health of the sport. Billy’s initiative with the APGA is a prime example of a sincere effort to give back to the sport in a way that is meaningful and directly provides resources to players who benefit greatly from his support.  

2. The Struggle of Developmental Tour Golf

For all the attention given to the massive purses at golf’s highest levels, it’s easy to forget the financial strain faced by players on developmental tours. It’s tough sledding.

Travel, instruction, entry fees – there are a million hurdles an aspiring Tour pro must jump through to make it to the top. It is a lonely lifestyle, and it is an expensive one.

Michael Bradham gave up professional golf nearly a decade ago to support his family with his architecture degree. He resumed his dream of playing pro golf in 2022 on the APGA Tour and is in the field this week. Another player I spoke with told me that after winning an APGA Tour event earlier this year, he used his winnings to pay off a $10,000 credit card debt.

Wyatt Worthington II shot an opening round, 4-under 68 and leads by one entering Wednesday’s final round. A club professional who has qualified for the PGA Championship four times, Worthington currently works a full-time job as a sales representative at Eastside Golf to support his dream.

When I asked him how he is able to balance a sales job with playing professional golf, he sighed and lamented that he doesn’t get to spend as much time on his golf game as he’d like. At 38 years old, he remains confident that making it to the PGA Tour is a matter of when, not if. However, he also acknowledged that his dreams are contingent upon financial support. He told me that when he makes it to the PGA Tour, he’ll be able to look back on times like these with appreciation.

Fortunately for Worthington and the rest of the 18-man field of top season-long performers, $150,000 is at stake thanks to the support of sponsors like Cisco and the Horschel Family Foundation. Wins are probably described as life-changing more often than lives truly change, but success at this tournament legitimately provides life-changing support towards players’ dreams of reaching their goals in professional golf.