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By MICHAEL WAGAMAN, Related Press
NAPA, Calif. (AP) — Max Homa’s choice to surrender his poplar and sometimes comical golf podcast to focus on his recreation is already paying off.
Homa holed out from the tough from 95 yards for eagle on the par-4 twelfth to begin a back-nine comeback and added three birdies for a 7-under 65 and a one-stroke victory Sunday within the season-opening Fortinet Championship.
“I had full management in the present day,” mentioned Homa, who saved par out of the sand thrice. “I had a very good warm-up, hit my wedges very well. The one bogey I made was going type of proper at it so simply felt like I had good management. It simply feels very nice.”
Three strokes behind Maverick McNealy with seven holes left, Homa adopted the eagle with a birdie on the par-4 thirteenth. The 30-year-old former College of California participant tapped in for one more birdie on the par-5 sixteenth and ran in an 18-footer on the par-4 seventeenth. He parred the par-5 18th to complete at 19-under 269.
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Homa gained for the second time this 12 months and the third time on the PGA Tour. He gained at Riviera in Los Angeles in February.
His newest victory got here every week after Homa ended the “Get A Grip” podcast he co-hosted for practically two years.
“I like doing it … however in some unspecified time in the future it was not doing my any favors having to regurgitate all of the dangerous issues that occurred. It wasn’t wholesome for me,” Homa mentioned. “My video games attending to the purpose the place it may very well be actually good.”
McNealy shot a 68 to complete second. He birdied the sixteenth, then made a double bogey on 17 and an eagle on 18. The son of billionaire and former Solar Microsystems CEO Scott McNealy, the 25-year-old participant grew up in Palo Alto and starred at Stanford.
“I used to be fairly good within the morning, however had just a few quick recreation mishaps late within the day,” McNealy mentioned. “If I hit that fairway on 17, I’m placing for birdie, it’s a distinct story.”
Mito Pereira (68) was third at 16 underneath. Marc Leishman (65) and Talor Gooch (68) adopted at 15 underneath. Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (66) tied for sixth at 13 underneath. PGA Championship winner Phil Mickelson (75) was 7 underneath.
Jim Knous (74) started the day tied for the lead with McNealy, however might by no means discover his rhythm and completed at 12 underneath. Knous, who has yet one more begin on a medical exemption, landed his opening tee shot right into a spectator’s chair and had a triple bogey on No. 14.
Taking part in within the twosome simply in entrance of McNealy, Homa birdied three of the final 4 holes on the entrance 9, then dropped a stroke on No. 10.
He received again on observe and turned his spherical round two holes later when his method on 12 landed on the entrance of the inexperienced and rolled into the cup as Homa raised his finger within the air.
“You wish to have a Tiger (Woods) second,” Homa mentioned. “He’s made it from in every single place to win. Typically while you put your self in that frame of mind, nice issues occur.”
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