AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Before Max Homa walked out to the practice tee at Augusta National for a lengthy practice session with his new coach, he joined his new caddie to transfer his clubs, golf balls and other essential gear into a new green-and-white, Masters-themed bag that his new equipment provider, Cobra, surely would like to see on TV this weekend.
Another new thing for Homa: frequent weekends off.
Homa arrives at the Masters as an unwelcome example of how quickly fortunes can change in golf. A six-time PGA Tour winner between 2019 and ‘23 who rose to No. 5 in the world, he is now ranked 81st and hasn’t made a cut against a full field since last year’s British Open, when he holed a 29-footer for birdie on the 18th hole at Royal Troon and celebrated with a full-throated roar.
“I know how good or how easy it can feel or be,” Homa said Tuesday. “I don’t have to, like, talk myself up as much about what my ceiling is.”
Instead, Homa said he has to tell himself, “You’re closer than you think.”
A year ago, the only thing missing from Homa’s resume was contending at a major, and he ticked that box when he opened the Masters with a 5-under 67 and remained in the mix until making double bogey on the 12th hole in the final round. He finished in a tie for third.
He has one top-10 finish since, and during that time, he’s changed nearly everything except his results. He even left social media, where he built a devoted fan base with self-deprecating humor and “roasts” of amateurs’ swings. Homa’s goodbye to X, formerly Twitter, was characteristically quotable: He said the platform was “for the sick.”
Perhaps most surprising was his split from childhood friend and longtime caddie Joe Greiner, with whom he was always quick to share credit for his triumphs.
“It was not my choice, so it sucked, but we always had a deal that we’re friends first and friendship mattered more than the work thing, and he was wise enough to do what he did,” Homa said. “It’s hard. I’m just so used to him caddying.”
Bill Harke debuted on Homa’s bag last week at the Texas Open, where Homa again missed the cut.
Statistically, Homa has declined across the board. Reliably long and accurate off the tee at his peak, he has lost distance without improving his accuracy. His approach play and putting have deteriorated. The only place where he’s significantly better than the average PGA Tour player is around the greens — an essential skill for someone who ranks 168th on tour in greens in regulation.
It’s enough that Fred Couples felt the need to greet Homa on the practice tee with a bear hug.
“He’s working on his swing. That’s a little harder when you don’t get results and you see a lot of people work on their swing and get results,” Couples said. “And he’s very talented. So why’s he struggling now? He might not be struggling five months from now.”
Homa is happy to explain his reasons for overhauling his swing, clubs and support system after he won at Riviera and Torrey Pines among four victories in his native California, won the Wells Fargo Championship twice on different courses and led the United States in points earned at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
He said Mark Blackburn was a great instructor but he needed a new voice. He’s now working with John Scott Rattan, the director of instruction at Congressional Country Club outside Washington, D.C. Homa’s equipment deal was up, he tested Cobra clubs and he loved them.
“Everything’s been just because I want to just get better. The swing changes have been the biggest issue, I would say, or just like the thing that’s taken the longest,” Homa said. “But I would have still done what I did. I just wish I could catch on a little bit quicker.”
It may sound unlikely that a struggling player could rediscover his game at the Masters. For Homa, at least, Augusta National carries the memory of his most recent success.
“I just feel like I have my plan B out here. Certain shots I know I can pull off, certain (shots) I know I probably can’t,” Homa said. “This place almost makes you be creative, something I’ve not been doing a great job of and now that I know I can play the place, I think it does help a lot.”
