GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Billy Horschel had gotten the "Two Bits" invite a couple times before, but each time demurred, citing other past Florida Gator greats he thought more worthy.
Then came the latest pitch to the four-time All-America golfer (2006-09) and two-time Southeastern Conference Player of the Year ('07 and '09).
Horschel, now 32, told wife Brittany, also a former UF golfer, about the offer. She said go for it.
"I'd do it if they asked me," Brittany assured.
Billy and Brittany Horschel
Then Horschel had a thought.
"What if we do it together?"
Yeah. What if?
With that, Billy and Brittany Horschel will become the first husband-wife team to serve as honorary "Mr. Two Bits" and lead the celebratory chant before 10th-ranked Florida (5-0, 2-0) kicks off against No. 7 Auburn (5-0, 2-0) in what will be the first showdown between two unbeaten and top 10-ranked teams at the "Swamp" in seven years.
"It's pretty cool, really, because my wife is a big part of my success," said Horschel, who actually met Brittany Nelson (UF '07-10) before their time at UF at a junior event in South Florida. "Everything I do for the University of Florida, I want her to be a part of as well."
The "Two Bits" routine has included multiple-participants in the past: the 2006-07 back-to-back NCAA men's basketball champions (Al Horford, Joakim Noah, Lee Humphrey, et al), softball stars Hannah Rogers and Stacy Nelson, track standouts Christian Taylor and Kerron Clement, and most recently, the family of the late George "Mr. Two Bits" Edmondson.
Step up to the tee box, Mr. and Mrs. Horschel
"Now, we're really looking forward to it," he said.
Billy Horschel was a three-time first-team All-American and two-time SEC Player of the Year at UF.
Horschel, whose PGA resume includes The Tour Championship and FedEx Cup titles in 2014 and more than $22 million in career earnings, now makes his home in Jacksonville. The family includes three children (daughters Skylar Lillian and Colbie, plus son Axel Brooks). A break in his schedule this week came at an opportune time for a trip back to campus (and a huge football game), before heading overseas in a few weeks for tour events in South Korea, Japan and China.
The Gators are never far from the family's collective conscience.
"I'm a huge sports fan — I follow professional sports very closely, especially the Boston teams — but I'm a Gator at heart," Horschel said. "I don't follow any of them nearly as much as I follow all Gator sports."
This week, he'll return to those orange and blue roots, with his better half (both in Two Bits T-shirts) in tow.
