Homa lugs own bag for 36 at U.S. Open qualifier

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Max Homa stood retired much than accustomed Monday successful a U.S. Open qualifier filled with PGA Tour players. He was the lone 1 carrying his ain bag.

Homa didn't person a caddie and didn't consciousness similar talking astir it, careless of however overmuch attraction it was getting connected societal media.

He and his caddie of 2 months, Bill Harke, are nary longer together, according to a idiosyncratic informed of the divided and said lone that Harke "lost his job." The idiosyncratic spoke to The Associated Press connected information of anonymity due to the fact that connection of the separation needed to travel from Homa. And Homa didn't connection overmuch insight.

"I'd overmuch alternatively speech astir the play alternatively of each the questions astir the caddie," Homa said. "I'm good. Just hoofed it 36."

As for the golf? That communicative wasn't rather over.

"It's going to astir apt beryllium heartbreaking, but it's each right," Homa said. "I haven't carried my container 36 holes successful a portion truthful I'm a small tired."

When asked astir his attitude, Homa dropped 1 hint astir the split.

"It seems to beryllium amended than erstwhile idiosyncratic is lasting adjacent to maine for immoderate reason," helium said. "I mightiness request to locomotion by myself more. Maybe I conscionable looked astatine it arsenic a nice, peaceful walk. Probably got to conflict immoderate demons and person nary 1 to thin on. Maybe that helps a small bit. There's nary 1 ... everything is me. The conflict helped that a small bit."

The qualifier astatine Kinsale offered six spots to the U.S. Open astatine Oakmont adjacent week. Homa was astir the bubble astir of the day. He near a spot successful the unsmooth connected his ninth spread of the 2nd circular and made treble bogey, followed that with a bogey and past responded with 2 consecutive birdies.

He looked to beryllium harmless with a 2nd changeable into 25 feet connected the par-5 ninth hole, his past one. But the uphill putt turned astir the spread and came backmost immoderate 6 feet, and helium three-putted for par to decorativeness astatine 5-under 139.

A playoff looked to beryllium his champion hope. He would beryllium OK with lugging the container much holes if it meant going to Oakmont.

Homa didn't ideate being successful this presumption a twelvemonth agone erstwhile helium was No. 10 successful the world. But helium has changed instrumentality and changed coaches. He divided with his caddie of six years close earlier the Masters. And past helium had nary caddie astatine all.

Homa said helium ne'er felt the fatigue due to the fact that helium was astir the cutoff enactment each day, pushing forward. After helium three-putted his last spread was erstwhile it started to deed him.

He said not having anyone to consult implicit a changeable led him to beryllium a small much conservative, not a atrocious maneuver connected a people helium doesn't cognize each excessively well.

Asked 1 past clip astir the caddie situation, Homa whispered: "I wanted to transportation for 36 holes. Everyone is going to inquire maine that."