NAPA, Calif. – Max Homa’s decision to give up his popular and often comical golf podcast to concentrate on his game is already paying off.
Homa holed out from the rough from 95 yards for an eagle on the par-4 12th hole to start a back-nine comeback, then added three birdies for a 7-under-par 65 and a one-stroke victory Sunday in the Fortinet Championship, the season opener for the 2021-22 PGA Tour.
“I had full control today,” said Homa, who saved par out of the sand three times. “I had a really good warmup, hit my wedges really well. The only bogey I made was going kind of right at it, so just felt like I had good control. It just feels really nice.”
Three strokes behind Maverick McNealy with seven holes left, Homa followed the eagle with a birdie on the par-4 13th. The 30-year-old former University of California player tapped in for another birdie on the par-5 16th and ran in an 18-footer on the par-4 17th. He parred the par-5 18th to finish at 19-under 269 at Silverado Resort’s North Course.
Homa won for the second time this year and the third time on the PGA Tour. Homa won the Wells Fargo Championship in May 2019 and the Genesis Invitational this past February.