PGA TOUR
Fortinet Championship
Homa Wins PGA Tour Season-Opener
American Max Homa made the perfect start to the new PGA Tour season winning the Fortinet Championship in Napa, California. The season-opener at the Johnny Miller re-designed North Course at Silverado Resort and Spa is the first event of 47 tournaments that make up the 2021/22 FedExCup.
Homa, aged 30, scored his third PGA Tour title after firing a sensational 7-under 65 final round to reach 19-under. Fellow American Maverick McNealy was runner up one shot back at 18-under. Chilean Mito Pereira took outright third place at 16-under. Australian Marc Leishman and American Talor Gooch shared fourth place at 15-under.
After 54 holes, 18 players were within four shots of the lead held by McNealy and little-known Jim Knous. Leishman started the final round six shots off the lead. The Victorian made a stunning bid for his seventh PGA Tour title when he climbed to the top of the leaderboard with a birdie at the 14th hole to get him to 15-under. It was his eighth red number for the day. The 37-year-old ran out of steam to close out his round with four consecutive pars. His 7-under 65 was the equal low score with Homa on Sunday.
Pereira birdied the final hole to get to 16-under and edge out Leishman to claim solo third place at 16-under. The 26-year-old carded a flawless 4-under 68 for his best finish on the PGA Tour. Pereira won three events on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020/21 to be elevated to the PGA Tour becoming the 12th player ever to earn instant promotion via the automatic three-win rule.
McNealy, who made his professional debut at this event in 2017, was searching for his maiden PGA Tour win. The 25-year-old, signed for a 4-under 68 to stake outright second place. It was his sixth top 10 result from 68 career starts and matches his best PGA Tour finish (2nd at the 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro Am).
Homa sat two shots off the 54-hole lead when he covered the last ten holes on Saturday in a remarkable 7-under. He poured in three birdies on the front nine during the final round before a bogey at the 10th hole slowed his progress for the come-from-behind win. He found himself three shots back with eight holes to play. Then, his sensational performance at the 12th hole proved to be the game-changer! Homa bounced within one shot of McNealy after holing out a stunning second shot from 95 yards for an eagle two at the par 4, 12th hole. Momentum had swung in his favour. At the next hole, he joined McNealy in the lead at 17-under after draining a birdie putt from 20 feet at the 13th.
The first title of the season would be decided down the stretch between the two players.
Homa, a native Californian, took the solo lead at the 16th hole with a two-putt for birdie to get to 18-under after striping his second shot approach at the par 5 on the green. Playing in the group behind, McNealy matched the birdie from Homa at the 16th hole to again join the lead at 18-under. Seconds later the crowd erupted as Homa walked in a left to right breaking birdie putt from 18 feet at the 17th hole to take a one shot lead with one hole to play. McNealy seemed rocked by the noise with a poor tee-shot at the 17th hole leading to a disappointing double-bogey. it was just his second over par hole on the back nine all week. With a three-shot lead, Homa made a par at the 72nd hole to guarantee victory. McNealy finished with a bang making an eagle to claim solo second place.
Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama fired a superb bogey-free 6-under 66 final round to get to 13-under. The 29-year-old from Japan, closed out his day birdie, birdie, eagle to finish in a tie for 6th place.
World No. 1 Jon Rahm missed the weekend after rounds of 72 and 71. It was just the second time the Spaniard failed to make the cut on the PGA Tour in 2021.
The golfing world turns its attention to next week and the Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin. Europe are the defending champions after their emphatic 17.5 to 10.5 win in France last start.
Final Scores
Fortinet Championship
1. Max Homa -19
2. Maverick McNealy -18
3. Mito Pereira -16
T4. Marc Leishman -15
T4. Talor Gooch -15
T6. Hideki Matsuyama -13
T6. Patrick Rodgers -13
T6. John Augenstein -13
T6. CT Pan -13
T6. Scott Stallings -13
Other Australians
T36. Aaron Baddeley -7
T64. Cameron Percy -2
MC. Lucas Herbert
MC. Brett Drewitt
Photo credit: Meg Oliphant/Getty Images
