“Golf’s Longest Day” is even longer when you’re slugging your own clubs for two rounds.
Enter Max Homa, who carried his own bag for 36 holes Monday at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio, as he attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open during one of the numerous qualifying events taking place across the country.
Homa, looking to make his sixth straigt U.S. Open, might have run out of gas as his three-putt on the 36th hole threw him into a five-man playoff with Rickie Fowler, Eric Cole, Chase Johnson and Cameron Young, who earned the right to compete at the third major of the year with a birdie on the 38th hole.
“It’s going to probably be heartbreaking, but it’s all right,” Homa said. “I haven’t carried my bag 36 holes in a while, so I’m a little tired.”
After a grueling 38 holes, including the playoffs, and temperatures approaching the 90-degree mark, Homa added that he’d prefer not to talk about the caddie situation in a curious move.
“I’d much rather talk about the golf instead of all the questions about the caddie,” Homa said. “I’m good. Just hoofed it 36.”
Homa and his longtime caddie, Joe Grenier, split two months ago, and he was replaced with Bill Harke, a match that apparently did not last long.
It’s been a rough stretch for Homa, a six-time PGA Tour winner who was the No. 10 golfer in the world as recently as last year.
Homa tied for 51st at last weekend’s Memorial Tournament and tied for 60th at the PGA Championship in May.
“It seems to be better than when someone is standing next to me for some reason,” he said Monday. “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. There’s no one … everything is me. The battle helped that a little bit.”
Homa will play in the RBC Canadian Open, which begins Thursday at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley.
The U.S. Open tees off next week at Oakmont Country Club.