Max Homa came agonizingly close to ending the longest winless stretch of his PGA Tour career on Sunday.
The six-time PGA Tour winner fired a brilliant final-round 7-under 64 at the John Deere Classic, surging into contention with four consecutive birdies on the back nine. But despite posting 19-under for the week, it wasn’t enough, as Chris Gotterup matched the charge with a tournament-closing 62 to claim the title by one stroke.
While Homa was understandably disappointed to come up just short, his post-round comments, followed by an honest message on Instagram, showed just how much the week meant after more than two difficult seasons.
The runner-up finish was Homa’s best result since his victory at the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open and continued encouraging signs that the former World No. 5 is beginning to find his game again.
After the round, he reacted to
Max Homa Gives Honest Reaction After Narrow Defeat
Homa admitted it wasn’t easy watching Gotterup post such a low number, but he also understood exactly what it took to win.
“Yeah, no, thanks. I don’t think you tip your cap. I had a good chance to catch him. He just played better.
“He’s a phenomenal golfer. I obviously tip my cap in reality, but that’s not exactly how I felt out there.”
Homa explained that his target entering the final round was always to reach 20-under, even if Gotterup arrived there faster than expected.
“It was nice, honestly, to have him go out there and post a number and get going because my goal to start Sunday was to get to 20, and he got there quicker than I thought. So that was just nice to see.”
Despite the disappointment, Homa had nothing but praise for Gotterup.
“He’s obviously a phenomenal golfer. I got to play with him yesterday. He’s like the nicest dude, too. Very happy with the way he played. I had my chances. I just needed to be a little sharper.”
Homa entered the back nine five shots off the lead before birdieing four straight holes from Nos. 12-15 to briefly put pressure on the eventual champion. A birdie at the par-4 17th pulled him within one, but he couldn’t find another on the 18th that would have forced a playoff.
He now has two top-5 finishes in the past two seasons, both of which came at TPC Deere Run.
“It’s great. This crowd is just incredible. They’re so kind to
Homa’s Instagram Message Shows Perspective After Best Finish in Years
Less than a day later, Homa reflected on the week with a heartfelt post on Instagram.
“Close. An all heart kind of day. Thx to everyone for the support.”
He also thanked the John Deere Classic fans, joking that they “bring the heat both from the weather and the fans (the people, not the things that make u cold).”
The message echoed comments he made after the round about why TPC Deere Run has become one of his favorite stops on Tour.
“This crowd is just incredible. They’re so kind to me, and it’s so fun. I love the golf course.”
Homa also made an admission that surprised many golf fans.
“I usually avoid places where the scores are 20-under, but it suits my game really nicely. I feel like I’ve done a good job with reading the greens here, too.”
The finish marked his second consecutive top-five at the John Deere Classic and moved him back inside the top 50 in the FedExCup standings, a significant boost after a difficult stretch that saw him fall outside the game’s biggest events.
Although he left Silvis without the trophy, Homa’s performance was another reminder that one of golf’s most popular players may finally be turning the corner.
Max Homa Gives Honest Admission After Falling Just Short at John Deere Classic