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The fans at the WM Phoenix Open made their presence felt, and several golfers, namely Billy Horschel, didn't appreciate that. He had a bit of an outburst with some fans during the tournament, and he has since opened up about the experience. The WM is a rare event that allows spectators to create an atmosphere and be fans like there are at other events, but it might have backfired in 2024.
While his playing partner was shooting, fans were getting rowdy. So, according to Golf Monthly, Horschel shouted back at them:
"Buddy, when he's over the shot, shut the hell up! He's trying to hit a damn golf shot here, it's our f*****g job!"
Speaking in an interview with Sirius XM, the golfer opened up about what it was like from his perspective:
"We'd just started our second round, we're on the 11th hole and [Galletti] is over his second shot. We had told some fans over there to be quiet as he was about to hit. There were three or four guys over there that continued to talk and say some things."
He said that fans had been talking "very loudly" when Nico Galletti was standing over the tee, preparing to shoot:
"I just feel like there was a loss of respect there. The guy is trying to play his shot, he's trying to do his job. It's the third day of the tournament and we hear a lot of different things."
Horschel said that afterwards that all he had done was express his displeasure with the lack of respect for a fellow golfer while he was trying to compete on the PGA Tour.
The tournament's organizers have promised that things will be better for both fans and players in 2025, after this year's event witnessed fans' removal and alcohol bans being handed out.
Billy Horschel calls out fans at WM Phoenix Open
Billy Horschel is one of many golfers who had issues with fan behavior at the WM Phoenix Open. Jordan Spieth, Zach Johnson and many others had issues with them all weekend long. It got to the point where some, including Horschel, believe it's an issue.
Horschel said via Golf Monthly:
"Has this tournament crossed the line? Yeah, I think the last couple of years have been a little much. I think it has just got a little bit out of control. I just go back to the respect factor of it for what we're trying to do in ours jobs."
He continued:
"I've read a few messages on social media like 'you know what you signed up for and 'if you can't take the heat then don't show up' but I'm like, this tournament was never about going there and being ridiculed by the fans. That was never the idea of this event."
Horschel believes that fans can have fun without making a mockery of themselves and disrupting play. Golf requires intense focus, and the fans at the 2024 Phoenix Open didn't really allow for that in his eyes, and he felt they went too far.
