Two-time PGA champion Billy Horschel's love for West Ham comes from chance DVD purchase

Billy Horschel is a golfer from Florida, USA, with no ties to East London, yet the two-time PGA Champion turned out to be a die-hard West Ham United fan. While most American athletes lean towards basketball, baseball, or American football, Horschel’s passion for the Hammers runs deep. And it all started with a DVD. Back in 2006, while settling into a new apartment during his college days, Horschel needed something to watch before his cable TV was set up. A trip to Best Buy led him to pick up Green Street Hooligans, a film about football fan culture in England.

The 2005 movie, starring Elijah Wood and Charlie Hunnam, follows an American student who gets expelled from Harvard and moves to London, where he becomes involved with West Ham’s football hooligan firm, the Green Street Elite (GSE). "It's a funny story, I've told it a thousand times and Mark Noble always rolls his eyes when he's around," Horschel shared in an interview with talkSPORT. "I bought Green Street and watched the movie and absolutely fell in love with West Ham and wanted to be a part of the GSE.

"I just loved that entire craziness, and that was back in 2006. Here we are in 2025, and I just love the Hammers.". Since then, Horschel has been a devoted fan, following the club’s fortunes from across the Atlantic. "If they're playing and I'm not playing golf, I'm watching," he added. "Doesn't matter what time it is. I'll wake up early to watch them.". Horschel carries a customised golf bag in West Ham’s claret and blue, complete with the club’s crest. It first went viral during The Open in July 2024, when fans and commentators took notice of the unexpected tribute.

"Whenever I try to come over here, I try to get the West Ham bag out," he said at the time. "Up the Hammers and come on you Irons.". At the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth, Horschel’s allegiance was met with approval from British fans, who greeted him with chants of "Come on you Irons!" as he walked the course. "It’s amazing to hear that support," he said. "It makes me feel like I'm part of something bigger than just being a fan from across the pond.".

Despite his enthusiasm, he admits he hasn’t converted many fellow PGA Tour players into football fans. He concluded: "There are some guys that have got into it, but I think some of my American counterparts don't enjoy the subtle aspects of the game, or how it can end in a tie and be nil-nil.". That hasn’t stopped him from fully immersing himself in the club’s highs and lows. From managerial appointments to transfer debates, Horschel follows it all.