Perhaps best indicating that was the recent performance that professional golfer Max Homa put on at a U.S. Open qualifier. He prevailed in a difficult and deep field of PGA Tour stars. Homa recently split with his long-serving caddie Bill Harke. Regardless, he walked the entire 36-hole tournament with his own bag and recorded a remarkable 5-under 139 to make the cut.
Homa had a long and difficult road through the qualifier. He spent most of the day perched above the bubble as he confusedly played his way around the course. He hit a stunning second shot on the par-5 ninth hole. It left him an unimaginable 25 feet from the pin. He faced setbacks, including a three-putt on his final hole and a double bogey on the ninth of the second round. After that, he took a bogey but bounced back in impressive fashion with two straight birdies to end his round.
“My goal was to walk my own bag for 36 holes,” said Homa. Because everyone’s going to say, ‘Everybody’s going to ask me about that. He expressed a sense of weariness after such a demanding day, saying, “I haven’t carried my bag 36 holes in a while so I’m a little tired.”
Five minutes into the professional ranks, he made the decision to bag his own immediately after breaking with Harke. Though they were together for six years, their breakup occurred shortly before the Masters. Homa credited this independence for helping him find another way to play the course. So it’s really bad unless I’m walking by myself, then it feels a little better,” he said. He suggested at the contemplative space that so often comes with being deep in nature and alone.
Yet through the strain and readjustment, Homa felt comforted by his experience as a lone wolf. Perhaps I just interpreted it as a beautiful, serendipitous walk,” he pondered. Maybe you just need to fight some demons and have no one to turn to. Maybe that helps a little bit. There’s no one … everything is me. The battle helped that a little bit.
Max Homa, right now the 10th-ranked player in the world. His amazing play at the U.S. Open qualifier reveals not only his golf talent, but his remarkable tenacity and commitment to rising above unexpected challenges. He’s already looking forward to upcoming competitions with renewed enthusiasm. Fans and critics alike, no doubt, can’t wait to see how this next chapter of his career plays out.
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