NAPA, Calif. – With so much controversy in the media and among fans following his being named to the American team for the Presidents Cup, Max Homa is looking forward to getting a bit of respite at this week’s Procore Championship at Silverado Country Club.
A two-time winner at this event, Homa had three top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season — including a third-place showing at The Masters — but struggled down the stretch.
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Since that solid week at Augusta, the 33-year-old has not had much rhythm to his game. The high point was when he finished eighth at the Wells Fargo Championship in May.
That didn’t deter Presidents Cup team captain Jim Furyk from adding Homa, calling him the glue of the American team.
“It was odd,” Homa said Wednesday. “I felt this massive bit of relief and pride to get to do this for a second time. Then also a massive amount of angst, that dance between wanting to prove myself and then also just understanding that I got picked for a reason. It’s been a back and forth of emotions.
“It felt nice to know that captain Furyk had that faith in me. I’m sure it was a really difficult decision, and I’d be lying if I didn’t feel bad for the guys who didn’t get picked.”
Homa is one of six players who are playing in Napa as a warm-up to the Presidents Cup.
The field includes defending tournament champion Sahith Theegala and Wyndham Clark, both on the American team, along with International team captain Mike Weir and players Corey Conners, Mackenzie Hughes and Min Woo Lee. Weir won the tournament in 2007.
Stewart Cink, who won this event in 2020, is also playing this week at Silverado Country Club in the heart of the Northern California wine country.
“This is a great week as a tune-up for the Presidents Cup,” Theegala said. “(It) is going to be one of the biggest events I’ve ever played in, so having that extra week of prep (is) going to be really nice.”
For Homa, the Procore is an opportunity to sharpen his game — he made a change in swing coaches — and prove that Furyk’s decision was correct.
Tee shots are key at Silverado, and that was an area where Homa had many of his problems. He maneuvered around the course just fine when he won the tournament in 2021 and 2022.
“I don’t think that there’s really anything on the golf course that’s going to freak me out or otherwise,” Homa said. “None of this is like a test to me to see how it’s going to go. I’m certain of what I’m doing now. It’s just getting reps in to get ready for the big event in a couple weeks.”
The Presidents Cup begins in two weeks at Royal Montreal Golf Club in Canada.
Homa went 4-0 in the 2022 Presidents Cup. He also played in the 2023 Ryder Cup.
As part of his efforts to get better Homa has taken to watching videos of other professional athletes for inspiration and tips on how to overcome tough times. Homa also parted ways with his long-time swing coach.
“I watched a ton of Kobe Bryant interviews,” Homa said. “Those types of videos on the internet about, yeah no one likes to lose but there’s a lot of great in losing. You learn what you need to get better at, and you get to practice things that when you’re playing great you gloss over.”
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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf