Billy Horschel was left unimpressed by a spectator who heckled the American during the second round of the Cognizant Classic in the Palm Beaches.

Horschel was having a mixed day on Friday at PGA National in Florida. 

He arrived at the start of the notoriously difficult Bear Trap, the par-three 15th, on three-under overall after making five birdies and two bogeys. 

But he left the hole facing a small sweat to make the cut after carding an ugly triple-bogey six and exchanging words with a lippy spectator. 

The problem for Horschel began with his tee shot which ended up long and left of the green, right up against the grandstand. 

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Horschel elected to play a high-spinning shot towards the pin with his second but got it badly wrong and appeared to catch it a bit thin. 

After his golf ball found a watery grave, Horschel turned around and confronted a group of spectators who apparently heckled him.

It was not immediately apparently if a comment was made during his downswing or after the shot. 

Standing with his hands on his hips, hot mics picked up Horschel asking: “Who said that?”

He added: “I mean, I guess you guys [inaudible] feel good about yourself with a comment like that, don’t ya?”

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Commentator Smylie Kaufman said: “Well there appears to have been a disturbance after that shot, maybe a remark to Billy. 

“That’s not something you expect from the fans out here.”

Kaufman was alluding to the fact that Horschel was born and raised in Florida. 

Horschel took a drop but could only limit the damage to a triple. 

Horschel added a par at the 16th to steady the ship and closed with a bogey to card a second-round 73, two above the projected cut.

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Horschel told reporters after he completed his round that the spectator insinuated that he had previously “bad-mouthed” PGA National. 

After round one, Horschel explained that it was the owners of PGA National and not PGA Tour who overseeded the course. 

It had led some to suggest the course was too easy when, in the past, it had been known as one of the more challenging layouts. 

“Listen, everyone has been saying overseed, overseed,” Horschel said. 

“It wasn’t the first time I heard it today, but obviously in that situation, I hit a bad golf shot and they wanted to say it, and I just said… I don’t know what I said. 

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“I think I said, who said that, or whatever. A guy sort of said a couple more things and said I was bad-mouthing the golf course, and that couldn’t be the furthest from the truth. 

“I’ve praised this golf course for many, many years. If I didn’t like this golf course, I wouldn’t come here and play every year.

“He had a few words to say. He wanted to share what his thoughts were, and I just said to him, I said, ‘Read the entire quotes from the last couple years. I’ve enjoyed this golf course.’

“When it’s benign, it’s gettable. When it’s the way it is the last two days with the wind blowing, it’s a challenge.”

Billy Horschel said he didn't ask for the spectator to be thrown out

Billy Horschel said he didn’t ask for the spectator to be thrown out

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Horschel added: “I wanted to make sure I informed him on that. I said, maybe you should be more informed of the situation, and that was it. 

“I walked back to the drop area, I hit a shot and walked off with a six. There was no more, nothing said.”

Horschel said he was informed the spectator had been kicked out, which he disagreed with. 

Apparently, it wasn’t his first offence. 

“I didn’t ask for him to be kicked out,” Horschel said. 

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“Listen, everyone has a right to say things. I think there’s just a level of respect that – when somebody is trying to do their job – understand, we’re trying to do a job out here. 

“Listen, we are really good golfers, and we can make the game look very easy, but at the end of the day, it is a job. 

“A lot of us are playing for victories. A lot of us are playing for our cards. A lot of us are playing for many different things.

“At the end of the day, it’s a job, and as I’ve always said, I think I can interact with a crowd as much or as little as anybody out here. But I just think it should be respectful. 

“That’s all I ask for. It’s not like I’m going to their job sniping off to them a little bit.

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“But like I said, it’s fine. I don’t care. At that moment I hit a bad golf shot. 

“I questioned somebody, and the guy said a few more things, and I just said, ‘You need to be more informed on what I said.'”

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