Why are golf fans linking PGA Tour star Billy Horschel with Taylor Swift?
Billy Horschel explains the story behind his 'Fearless' bracelet amid links to Taylor Swift.
Billy Horschel might not be the biggest 'Swiftie' but he has found accidental Taylor Swift motivation on the PGA Tour through a new bracelet made by his wife, Brittany.
Horschel, 37, was put on the spot by one reporter ahead of this week's Texas Open.
The 2014 FedEx Cup champion admitted to wanting to play 'fearless' golf on the PGA Tour throughout the 2024 season, but that he had no idea until recently the word happened to be the second studio album produced by one of the world's most famous singer-songwriters.
With his wife and young girls massive 'Swifties', the bracelet worn by Horschel now has something of a double meaning in his family.
Horschel and wife Brittany also have a son, Axel.
The 'fearless' bracelet sits proudly on his wrist alongside a bracelet of his children's names, 'Sky, Colbs and Ax'.
Horschel said:
"So listen, Taylor Swift is massive in my household. My girls went to a Taylor Swift concert last year in Atlanta with my wife and they are massive Swifties. So my oldest one, Skylar, made me a bracelet that I've been wearing for almost a year now. It just says Sky, Colbs and Ax. Then after The Players Championship, talking with my team and my wife about I just need to go out there and play with less fear, got to be fearless, so my wife made me a fearless bracelet. There's a little more back story behind it. I sort of had a dream I think Sunday night of Players, woke up Monday morning and we were talking about Valspar is a week before I left that Monday morning, I said yeah, I think I'm just going to put a Sharpie on my left wrist that says "fearless" because I had a dream seeing fearless on my left wrist. She said, well, I'll just make you a bracelet, so she made me a bracelet. I didn't realize this either, I don't think my wife realized it at the time, I guess Taylor Swift's second or third album is Fearless and she has a song Fearless. I'm not the biggest Swiftie. I get asked about it a lot from the fans now when I sign autographs, they ask if I'm a Swiftie or are they friendship bracelets or anything. It's a cool little thing, but also just puts me in the right mind frame of when I'm playing golf of what I want to be thinking about."
So how about a tattoo?
"I thought about that, but I'm not a tattoo guy," replied Horschel.
The seven-time PGA Tour champion will certainly need to play 'fearless' golf at the Texas Open if he is to qualify for next week's Masters Tournament at Augusta National.
Horschel, who ranks 80th in the Official World Golf Rankings right now, must win the Texas Open in order to play his way into The Masters.
The omens look good given Horschel has finished T9, T12 and T7 in three of his last four tournaments on the PGA Tour.
Horschel is priced at 33/1 this week.
Rory McIlroy is the tournament favourite at 10/1.
McIlroy has yet to register a top-10 finish on the PGA Tour this season.
He will attempt to complete the career grand slam at The Masters next week.
Will Horschel win the Texas Open and earn his spot at The Masters? Share your thoughts and comments over on the GolfMagic social media channels.
