Sam Torrance: World No417 Max Homa’s win at Wells Fargo Championship shows magic of golf
Max Homa’s win at the Wells Fargo Championship on Sunday showed the magic of golf at its very best.
The world No417 shot an assured round of 67 to finish 15 under-par – three shots ahead of fellow rookie Joel Dahmen – and claim his first PGA Tour title on his 68th start.
Up against a quality field, the 28-year-old American played an impressive round to convert his last-day lead into what will undoubtedly prove a life-changing maiden victory.
Read more: Sam Torrance: Jon Rahm and Ryan Palmer's triumph is a heartwarming tale
I doubt he would have slept much on Saturday night, but he coped with the pressure – and hour-long rain delay – well, dropping just a single shot on his final round at Quail Hollow Club.
Not only will the $1,422,000 prize money make a big difference to his career, but the win also grants him a two-year exemption on the PGA Tour, helping his job security. He’s sure to get interest from sponsors, which will have a positive impact for him too.
In short this win is humongous. It’s what dreams are made of and I’m sure he had a huge grin on his face when he saw his family on Sunday evening in North Carolina.
Clicking into gear
Justin Rose may still trail World No1 Dustin Johnson in the rankings, but he continued his solid form this year with a final round of 68 to finish third.
Rose took some time off over the winter to prepare himself for the six-month Major sprint and he seems to be clicking into gear at just the right time.
Justin Rose enjoyed more good form in North Carolina (Source: Getty)
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, started Sunday just two shots off the lead but ended eight shots behind Homa in eighth after falling apart in a nightmare patch around the turn.
It’s not happening for him at the moment. It’s disappointing but I wouldn’t look too much into it – he won the Players Championship in March and is not far off.
Magic Mikko
On the European Tour there was a big second victory for Mikko Korhonen at the Volvo China Open.
Korhonen, who became just the third player from Finland to win on the European Tour when he took the Shot Clock Masters last summer, started the day three shots behind Benjamin Herbert but clawed his way back to beat Frenchman in the first play-off hole.
Lots of players win one event, but with his second inside a year Korhonen has marked himself out as a good player. The China Open has a big field and a decent atmosphere so he’ll take a lot of self-belief from his performance.
Mikko Korhonen won his second European Tour title in China (Source: Getty)
The 38-year-old is a strong competitor and fit as a butcher’s dog. I think it helped him playing alongside Herbert, as when you’re behind you can assess your opponent and put pressure on.
Finally, I must mention Jorge Campillo again. The Spaniard, who won the Trophee Hassan II last weekend to claim a first European Tour title, finished on 19 under-par to take third place in China.
His performances are like London buses at the moment. He’s now got five top-three finishes in his last six events and it just goes to show what confidence does.