Max Homa secured his 6th PGA Tour win and 4th in his home state with a final-round 6-under 66 at Torrey’s South Course. He overtook Sam Ryder, who was leading the race, and held off challenges from Bradley and Collin Morikawa.
Homa has a history of come-from-behind wins, this time erasing a 5-shot deficit to tie for the lead with a 7-foot birdie at hole 9. He played a strong front 9, carding 4 under, thanks to solid driving and a shining iron game.
“You don’t need to be in the short grass all the time but you need to be in it to make birdies,” Homa said. “My iron game game has always kind of been my staple, I guess, what I’m most proud of in my game and it lends itself to that at this golf course.”
On the back nine Homa had and incredible shot into the difficult par 3, 11th hole. But Homa surrendered the lead at 14 with his lone bogey of the day to drop back to 11 under. Max saved his best swing of the day for the par-3 16th, flagging another 4-iron to 15 feet, the closest anyone got to the hole all day, and drained the putt.
“I think I do a good job when I’m behind of one shot at a time and knowing that it’s a marathon,” Homa said.
Standing on the 18th fairway with a one shot lead, Homa could have easily laid up and played it safe on the par 5. But fortune favors the bold and Max pulled a seven wood out of the bag and went for the green. That shot eventually settled just off the firnge behind the green. From there he got up and down to finish at 13-under par.
Kegan Bradley carded the only bogey-free round of the day with a 6-under 66. He was also great on the back nine at Torrey. But on 18 pulled his second shot from 219 yards on the par-5 18th into the bunker left of the green, and he was unable to get up-and-down for birdie.
“The one shot I mis-hit all day,” said Bradley
Saturday was a gritty performance that showed just how much he trusts and believes in his game.
“Everybody else looks at me as a social media guy, but I’m a pretty darn good golfer,” said Homa “But when I work, when I practice and I play tournaments, this is what I love. I love what today was. It was incredible.”
Get The Golf BPM App Now!
