At the U.S. Open qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, Max Homa was a sight to behold, not for his swing or score, but for carrying his own golf bag. Amid the gathering of PGA Tour players, Homa stood alone, figuratively and literally.
Absent from his side was caddie Bill Harke. The duo split after a short two-month partnership, leaving Homa to face the grueling 36-hole round solo. As whispers about their parting circulated, Homa was tight-lipped, saying, “I’m much rather talk about the golf instead of all the questions about the caddie. I’m good. Just hoofed it 36.”
The course was demanding. Homa recounted, “It’s going to probably be heartbreaking, but it’s all right. I haven’t carried my bag 36 holes in a while so I’m a little tired.”
After his initial 36 holes at Kinsale, Homa found himself in a playoff for the last spot in the U.S. Open after three-putting on the final hole. It was Cameron Young who clinched the spot with a clutch 12-foot birdie. Homa’s hopes for an alternate position evaporated shortly after another playoff hole.
When pressed about the change in dynamics sans a caddie, Homa provided a glimpse into his mindset, suggesting, “I might need to walk by myself more. Maybe I just looked at it as a nice, peaceful walk. Probably got to battle some demons and have no one to lean on. Maybe that helps a little bit.”
The qualifier was cutthroat, with six coveted spots for the U.S. Open at Oakmont hanging in the balance next week. Homa experienced a rollercoaster, especially after leaving a chip in the rough during the second round and making double bogey followed by a bogey. Yet, he fought back with birdies thereafter.
The fatigue set in only after the final putt dropped. Homa mused about his day, noting that the solitary approach perhaps made him more cautious. “I wanted to carry for 36 holes. Everyone is going to ask me that,” he whispered when questioned again about the absence of a caddie.
Still in the fray, Homa heads to the Canadian Open. To punch his ticket to the U.S. Open, a victory there might be his golden ticket to the top 60.
