Max Homa is again in South Africa for the Nedbank Golf Problem and in a well-known place.
After successful this event final 12 months on the Gary Participant Nation Membership in Solar Metropolis, Homa sits atop the leaderboard after day one. He carded a 6-under 66, a spherical that featured eight birdies, two bogies, and loads of holed putts. Homa picked up proper the place he left off, birdieing his first three holes to get off to a powerful begin. He went on to birdie the sixth and ninth holes as nicely, going out with a 5-under 31, making his presence identified to the remainder of the sector.
However across the halfway level of his spherical, the wind fully shifted, which, as he defined, “fully by way of him for a loop.” Bogies on the thirteenth and fifteenth holes adopted, the latter because of him and his caddie miscalculating a yardage.
A two-putt par adopted on the par-3 sixteenth, after which Homa couldn’t have performed the quirky seventeenth and 18th holes any higher. He discovered the golf green off each tees, one thing he struggled with all through 2024, after which stuffed his approaches inside 11 ft on each events. Each putts then discovered the underside of the cup, which propelled him into the solo lead by a stroke over South African Ockie Strydom.
“It felt actually good as a result of I haven’t performed a event shortly, and I’ve been engaged on a variety of new stuff, so to return out and birdie the primary three holes was cool,” Homa mentioned.
“The way in which I used to be doing it felt good, and I felt actually snug with the golf swing for essentially the most half, so [this round] is unquestionably one I’ll bear in mind, that’s for positive.”
Homa has not performed since late October, when he tied for twenty seventh on the ZOZO Championship in Japan. In his 10 begins earlier than then, his greatest end was a T-22 on the Memorial. He additionally missed two cuts throughout that stretch.
Struggles outweighed success in 2024, as Homa has not gained professionally since he triumphed at this occasion final 12 months. That actuality helps clarify why Homa felt so happy strolling off the golf course on Thursday.
“Simply the way in which I drove the ball all season was horrible, and also you come to a golf course like this the place you can not pretend it off the tee. It is advisable to hit some good tee photographs, and you will be uncomfortable with the wind, so that you clearly wish to come right here and win, however I’m attempting to prepare for subsequent season and put to make use of a few of this work I’ve achieved,” Homa mentioned.
“So, to see one thing that I can take with me going again house is a giant deal, so simply that alone I’m very pleased with.”
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. Be sure you try @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You may comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.