PGA Tour star Max Homa’s past criticism of ‘spoiled’ golfers came back to haunt him on Sunday when he was caught in a petulant moment.
The golfer, 35, was competing at the RBC Heritage at Harbour Town Golf Links in Hilton Head, South Carolina, when his frustrations boiled over during the final round.
Homa was one-under for the tournament heading into the 15th hole when he fired his tee shot into the trees lining the right edge of the par-five fairway.
Unable to escape the tree-filled waste area back onto the fairway with his second shot, Homa angrily flung his club to the ground with it bouncing around 15 yards on.
He went on to bogey the hole and ultimately finish tied for 69th in the PGA Tour’s $20million signature event.
Homa’s outburst was made even more humiliating by the fact that it came just days after he criticized his fellow professionals for their own on-course meltdowns.
PGA Tour star Max Homa furiously threw his club after a poor shot at the RBC Heritage
Homa was asked on Wednesday about the code of conduct at the Masters last week, specifically Sergio Garcia’s tee-box tantrum.
While the American didn’t specifically name Garcia, he bluntly criticized those types of meltdowns.
‘I don’t like when people break clubs. I don’t like when people beat up the golf course because we deal with it, and I think the breaking clubs makes us look very, very spoiled,’ Homa said.
‘I definitely think beating up a golf course would be probably tops just because the rest of us have to play it.’
Garcia, a 2017 Masters winner, saw red after finding a fairway bunker during the final round at Augusta National last week, smashing his driver into the turf and then a cooler box, eventually breaking the club.
Initially, the 46-year-old showed minimal contrition – despite even getting a code of conduct warning from his round.
The Spaniard eventually offered an apology on Tuesday, two days after the shocking incident at Augusta.
‘I want to apologize for my actions on Sunday at The Masters tournament,’ Garcia said. ‘I respect and value everything that The Masters and Augusta National Golf Club is to golf.
The American had hit his tee shot into the trees lining the right edge of the 15th fairway
His outburst came just days after he criticized other golfers for their on-course meltdowns
‘I regret the way I acted and it has no place in our game. It doesn’t reflect the respect and appreciation I have for The Masters, the patrons, tournament officials and golf fans around the world.’
However, Sunday’s incident was not the first time that Homa has lost his cool. He was caught flinging a club down the fairway during last year’s PGA Championship and at the WM Phoenix Open in 2023.
Yet, he acknowledged his past outbursts, adding: ‘I say a lot of bad words. I very much try to do it not when a kid can hear.
‘So I do think there’s some, hey, don’t say it in front of the wrong person, like be a bit aware of your surroundings. Not saying I’ve never done it.’
