Max Homa started the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open five shots behind Sam Ryder. With 16 holes to go, Homa trailed by six.
However, two brilliant shots on the back nine par 3s that led to birdies capped a superb final round that saw Homa shoot a 6-under 66 to win at Torrey Pines for his sixth PGA Tour victory. This is Homa’s second win of the 2022-23 tour season, including his victory at the Fortinet Championship in September, and his fourth triumph in the state of California.
This is the fifth time that Homa has trailed in the final round and eventually won. He finished at 13 under, two shots ahead of Keegan Bradley and three ahead of Collin Morikawa.
Closest tee of the day on No. 16.@MaxHoma23 money with a birdie. pic.twitter.com/IOVjfl0IlW
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 29, 2023
Ryder’s downfall came on the 15th hole, when his tee shot went into the right rough and his second fell well short of the green. His third shot went long and into the rough. He ended up making double bogey and added another bogey on the 17th.
Ryder shot 3-over 75 in the final round and finished T-4 with Sungjae Im and Sahith Theegala.
Keegan Bradley made a late run and fired the only bogey-free round of the day with a 6-under 66. He holed his second shot on the par-5 18th into the bunker left of the green, and he was able to not get up. -and-off for birdie. Bradley, who won the Zozo Championship earlier in the season, finished at 11 under.
Jon Rahm, who entered the final round in second place with a chance for his third win in as many starts, bogeyed his first hole and shot 3 overs on the front nine. Unable to recover from his poor start, he shot a 2-round 74 and finished T-7.
Homa made headlines in the third round when he was targeted during a hole. It’s something he said he hopes to stick with. Since he is the first to be targeted during a round and continues to win, others may be in line to do so in the future.
