Max Homa continues to be removed from taking part in his finest golf after lacking the reduce by 5 pictures on the WM Phoenix Open. With the Genesis Invitational having simply begun, will he proceed to battle to seek out his type?
What Has Gone Flawed With Max Homa?
Fall From Grace
The 2021-2023 model of Max Homa was some of the electrical gamers in golf. Capturing 5 titles most lately on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open and the Fortinet Championship. He was on fireplace with among the finest iron play and placing on tour. It appeared just like the rise of golf’s subsequent nice expertise. However the man we noticed dismantle Crew Europe in his first Ryder Cup appears nearly recognizable to the golfer we’ve seen lately.
It has been over two full years since Homa raised silverware. The final time Homa even carded a top-10 on tour was in Might of final 12 months. As time passes, this has change into much less of a pattern and extra of a norm. It’s raised questions on if that model of Max Homa will ever be again competing at golf’s grandest phases.
A Look At The Numbers
Taking a look at simply 2023-2024, the drop in stats tells you a lot of the story.
On tour, he ranked fiftieth in strokes gained off the tee. He additionally ranked thirty ninth in each strokes gained across the inexperienced and strategy. It’s incomprehensible when you think about simply the season earlier than he was eleventh off the tee and top-10 on strategy.
The one consistency is his bearable thirty ninth across the inexperienced, which has similarities to his place from the earlier season. The one shining mild within the numbers is that his placing has stayed on the championship stage it was earlier than. Although he nonetheless appears like he’s going backward, he’s managed to remain within the high 15.
However Homa’s placing was unable to save lots of him dropping from the highest 10 in complete strokes gained to barely cracking the highest 40. This resulted in a 104th place end within the FedEx Cup rankings. A skyfall from his 14th place end the earlier 12 months. It exhibits you that greater than a easy repair for Homa is required.
The place He Finds Hope
Even when his sport struggles to fulfill the expectations followers and even himself set, Homa is aware of he can return to his championship stage.
“For one, I do know what I’m able to,” Homa mentioned Tuesday. “Secondly, I do know that I’m fairly robust in terms of these items. I’ve gone by way of this a lot worse earlier than the place the outcomes weren’t coming. I undoubtedly have my low days. I’ve been extremely annoyed since April. However I additionally see—I discover delight in waking up after a tough day and having the power to go get higher.”
Homa has the mindset of an elite golfer and is aware of he has the power to be again amongst the perfect. However this weekend’s Genesis Open at Torrey Pines might be considered one of his hardest assessments but this season. Homa ought to discover consolation in understanding that his not-so-recent final victory on the Farmers Insurance coverage Open got here at the exact same course.
For a lot of, it appears inevitable that he’ll as soon as once more be victorious on tour. However these exact same persons are beginning to fear that the perfect Max Homa is already behind us. In a sport that’s so maddening, even those that have devoted the whole lot to the craft nonetheless can’t fairly get it proper. However with somebody with the supreme expertise like Homa, it’s hopefully extra of a query of when and never if.
Fundamental picture credit score:
© Kyle Terada-Imagn Photos
