Max Homa Narrowly Misses Out On Qualifying For U.S. Open After Carrying His Own Bag For 38 Holes
Homa nearly qualified for the year's third major championship without a caddie.
While there were plenty of players around the country carrying their bags while trying to qualify for the 2025 U.S. Open on Monday, one player huffing it with their own sticks stood out among the group.
Max Homa, a six-time winner on the PGA Tour, took on final qualifying at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Powell, Ohio without a caddie, and got the full experience of ‘Golf’s Longest Day' as he ultimately carried his bag for 38 holes.
Things went well for Homa for 35 and a half holes on Monday afternoon before he ultimately fell short of qualifying for the year's third major championship in gut-wrenching fashion.
Homa was holding onto one of the six spots awarded at his qualifying site as he stood on the 18th green in his second round, but three-putted the last hole, which put him into a five-man playoff for the final qualifying spot. The playoff included Rickie Fowler, Eric Cole, Chase Johnson, and Cameron Young, and it was Young who earned the final spot on the second playoff hole with a birdie.
Johnson earned the first alternate spot while Cole snagged the second, which officially slammed the door shut on Homa's chances of getting into this year's U.S. Open at Oakmont.
After his disappointing finish, Homa was asked about his lack of a caddie, which turned out to be a subject he didn't want to talk about.
"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."
The questions about Homa's caddie situation were well warranted, and not just because he was without one for the qualifier.
Homa and longtime caddie Joe Greiner parted ways two months ago. He then tabbed Bill Harke to be his looper, but that partnership has already ended, according to Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press.
Despite the odd spot Homa finds himself in regarding a regular caddie, this doesn't fully explain why he decided to carry his own clubs during U.S. Open qualifying. He could have easily hired a local caddie and thrown him a few hundred bucks for the one-day job, but ultimately decided against it.
The 34-year-old is set to tee it up in this week's RBC Canadian Open, and it'll be interesting to see who is on the bag for him up north.
Homa has struggled in 2025, having started the year ranked 41st in the Official World Golf Ranking before falling to his current position of 90th in the world.