Max Homa started the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open five shots back of Sam Ryder. With 16 holes to go, Homa trailed by six.
However, two brilliant shots into the back-nine par 3s that resulted in birdies capped a stellar final round that saw Homa shoot 6-under 66 to win at Torrey Pines for his sixth PGA Tour victory. It’s Homa’s second victory of the 2022-23 Tour season, including his win at the Fortinet Championship in September, and his fourth triumph in the state of California.
It’s the fifth time Homa has trailed entering the final round and ended up winning. He finished at 13 under, two strokes ahead of Keegan Bradley and three in front of Collin Morikawa.
The closest tee shot of the day on No. 16.@MaxHoma23 cashes in with a birdie. pic.twitter.com/IOVjfl0IlW
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) January 29, 2023
Ryder’s downfall came on the 15th hole, when his tee shot went into the right rough and his second came up well short of the green. His third shot went long and into the rough. He ended up making double bogey and added another bogey on the 17th.
Keegan Bradley made a run late, firing the only bogey-free round of the day with a 6-under 66. He pulled his second shot on the par-5 18th into the bunker left of the green, and he was unable to get up-and-down for birdie. Bradley, who won the Zozo Championship earlier this season, finished at 11 under.
Jon Rahm, who entered the final round in second place with a chance for his third win in as many starts, bogeyed his first hole and shot 3 over on the front nine. He wasn’t able to recover from his poor start.
Homa made headlines during the third round when he was mic’d up during a hole. It’s something he said he hopes sticks around. With him being the first to be mic’d up during a round and going on to win, others could be lined up to do so in the future.