Fan favourite Max Homa finds way out of golf abyss into the light

Homa made a breakthrough a few weeks ago when he told his new coach, John Scott Rattan, exactly how he felt about the swing changes they’ve been working on.

Max Homa waves after making a putt on the sixth hole during the second round of the PGA Championship. Pic: AP Photo/Matt York

On a PGA Championship leaderboard filled with surprising names, one in particular stands out – Max Homa. One of the most open and likeable players in golf has taken fans on a journey into the darkness of competitive golf. On Friday with a tournament-low 64, Homa found his way into the light.

“It’s been difficult because I felt like I was so broken,” Homa said of an excruciating struggle that dragged him into golf’s abyss as he navigated a string of changes including his coach, his equipment, his swing and finally his caddie. Over the course of two years, Homa fell from a career-high of No. 5 in the world at the 2023 Masters to No. 81 when he showed up at Augusta last month riding a run of five consecutive missed cuts.