How a struggling Max Homa is looking to Super Bowl MVP Jalen Hurts for inspiration

LA JOLLA, Calif. — Last week’s WM Phoenix Open was supposed to mark a turning point for Max Homa, who has struggled on the golf course since last year’s Masters. Yet, he felt something — perhaps hope — on the driving range at TPC Scottsdale during Tuesday’s practice round. He even hugged his team in celebration afterward, feeling optimistic about his chances at ‘The People’s Open.’

Homa then missed the cut by five, thanks to a 5-over 76 he carded on Thursday.

“That’s what’s so odd about last week is that it’s the best I swung the golf club like potentially — this is going to sound crazy, but potentially ever,” Homa said.

“It’s the best I’ve driven — like as easy as I could imagine or I could remember ever hitting a driver... I know this all sounds hilarious to people because it’s been so bad and I missed the cut by five, but like I was like really excited about last week. It was a shame I didn’t get two more rounds under my belt just to keep doing it.”

After posting a 2-under 69 on Friday, in which he looked more like the Ryder Cup star that shined in Rome, Homa went to his home in Scottsdale feeling rather down on his luck. But true to his nature, he got up the next morning and returned to the golf course to work on his swing. He grinded all day on the driving range, working with his coach and caddie. He was exhausted afterward, and on the drive back home that evening, Homa thought, ‘That next win will feel better than any win has felt before.’

The next day, Super Bowl Sunday, Homa, like 130 million other Americans, watched the Philadelphia Eagles steamroll the Kansas City Chiefs. Quarterback Jalen Hurts won MVP honors, and after the game, Hurts delivered a line that stuck with Homa.

“I heard a great Jalen Hurts quote where he said, ‘I’ve had purpose long before anybody had an opinion about it,’” Homa explained.

“It just made me realize that whatever the score is looking to those on the outside, like last week [in Phoenix], it would never make sense to anybody unless you’re part of my tiny little [team]; you would never think that we made progress. It would look like another kind of Red-X on the year. That will be a major stepping stone and something we’ll all look back on.”

Now Homa returns to the South Course at Torrey Pines, where he did not fare well at the Farmers Insurance Open three weeks ago. He withdrew after opening with a 5-over 77, which included a career-worst nine-hole score on the front side.

But if there is someone who knows about feeling relegated on the biggest of stages, it’s Hurts. Tua Tagovaiola replaced him in the 2018 National Championship game and watched him lead Alabama past Georgia in overtime. Perhaps Homa can find solace in that story this week and going forward. Yet, no matter what happens, Homa is working as hard as ever to return to the top-10 player he has the potential to be.

“I am quite tough when it comes to this stuff. I’ve gone through this much worse before where the results weren’t coming. I definitely have my low days. I’ve been incredibly frustrated since April,” Homa said.

“I find pride in waking up after a hard day and having the energy to go get better. So I do think at the end of all my days, and I would assume most people would think this way about themselves, in whatever walk of life you’re in, whatever job you have. But if I never have another good result again, that would be a massive bummer, but I could rest easy; maybe in a few years, I could rest easy knowing I’m doing absolutely everything I possibly can to do that. I’ve always been quite proud of my work ethic; I think that’s why I’m here. I think it’s my best quality and has been ramped up about a thousand notches.”

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.