Tiger Woods, the first and only person to win both a Masters (in 1997) and an Open Championship in one year. He held numerous other records including most career major wins, PGA Tour money leader, richest golfer of all time, etc. Tiger also had his fair share of personal scandals which led him being considered by many golf fans as overrated or even worse than he deserves despite his countless achievements on the course.
Max Homa, a four-time PGA Tour champion, is open about his admiration for Tiger Woods. Therefore, he has no intention of concealing his delight at sharing the tee with Tiger during the first two rounds of the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews.
I’m playing with Tiger Woods at the 150th Open Championship at St Andrews. Hey golf gods, we’re even. Can’t believe this is real and ya it’s corny but who cares I’m playing with the freakin 🐐 #golf #PVO
— max homa (@maxhoma23) July 12, 2022
Get my meaning?
Homa and Tiger won’t meet for the first time in the opening round on Thursday. Homa’s first PGA Tour victory of 2019 came at Quail Hollow, where Woods spotted him on the practice range at the Memorial and gave him a congrats.
Homa, who is now ranked 19th in the world, won the Genesis Invitational at the prestigious Riviera Country Club, and it was Woods who presented the trophy to him since Tiger is the tournament’s host. Homa said that the subsequent moment made him “as joyful as I could ever possibly be.”
When he learnt about the accident that almost cost Tiger Woods his right leg and kept him away from professional golf for more than a year, that delight quickly changed to grief two days later. Homa is overjoyed that Woods will be playing this week in St. Andrews, the location of two of his three Open Championship triumphs.
Tiger and Homa have each competed in only six major championships as of this week. The first occasion was at the U.S. Open in Merion in 2013, when Homa first encountered his hero. And what a strange first encounter that was.
Max Homa remembers seeing Tiger Woods for the first time at the 2013 U.S. Open.
After beating Tony Finau in a playoff to win the Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 21, 2021, Max Homa is shown with the trophy and the tournament’s host, Tiger Woods. Author: Harry How
Max Homa, a 22-year-old amateur from Cal-Berkeley, qualified for the 2013 U.S. Open in a sectional tournament in Newport Beach.
In the first round on Thursday, Woods was just a few groups ahead of Homa’s tee time, which meant that they would be warming up at around the same time. And Max made his move there, on the Merion shooting range.
He claims that when he warmed up, his only thought was presenting himself. He told his caddy to place his bag next to Tiger’s. Homa was really warming up at that time. The kid was just awestruck to be so near the then-14-time major winner and found himself watching his idol smash balls rather than getting ready for his first round of a major.
He also seemed to be observing for too long and in an odd manner. His friends informed him about the situation. As usual, the Golf Channel was broadcasting Tiger’s warm-up. Homa started getting texts from people saying that he was on the air, gazing at Woods as he prepared for his 68th major victory. Your buddies are always there for you, right?
Homa finally had the confidence to introduce herself and began with these words:
“Hello, my name is Max. I’m a huge fan, yet there’s no possibility you know who I am.
Tiger Woods: Max Homa
Tiger “was extremely sweet,” according to Homa, who wished him luck and shook his hand. On that day, both of them fired 73s. Homa missed the cut after shooting a second-round score of 78, while Woods finished tied for 32nd.
Max Homa claims to still have the photo of himself admiring Tiger Woods on that particular day at Merion. And when the two of them walk the Old Course at St. Andrews this week, I have little doubt he’ll locate another keeper.
PGATour.com provided the statistics.
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