Max Homa carries own bag in long U.S. Open qualifier, misses it in heartbreaking fashion

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Max Homa is among several big names who do not meet the exemptions for the 2025 U.S. Open in Oakmont, leaving his Oakmost fate up to a qualifier in Ohio on Monday.

Dubbed “Golf’s Longest Day,” Homa was one of numerous golfers, including Rickie Fowler, Cameron Young, Bud Cauley, Jake Knapp, Padraig Harrington, and Adam Hadwin attempting to qualify for Oakmont at 10 different locations across the country.

Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club was home to six of the qualifying spots, and the golfers were in for two rounds on Monday. But on his 36th hole, a three-putt put Homa into a five-man playoff, along with Fowler, Young, Eric Cole, and Chase Johnson. Young grabbed the final spot with a birdie on hole 38.

But Homa was by his lonesome throughout the entire day, as he and his caddie of two months, Bill Harke, are no longer together, according to a person informed of the split who said only that Harke “lost his job.”

Thus, Homa carried his own bag for all 38 holes.

“I’d much rather talk about the golf instead of all the questions about the caddie,” Homa said. “I’m good. Just hoofed it 36.”

But apparently, he didn’t seem to mind.

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“It seems to be better than when someone is standing next to me for some reason,” he said. “I might need to walk by myself more. Maybe I just looked at it as a nice, peaceful walk. Probably got to battle some demons and have no one to lean on. Maybe that helps a little bit. There’s no one … everything is me. The battle helped that a little bit.”

As for the golf?

“It’s going to probably be heartbreaking, but it’s all right,” Homa said. “I haven’t carried my bag 36 holes in a while, so I’m a little tired.”

Homa is not entirely out of the U.S. Open. He is playing the Canadian Open this week, though he would likely have to win to get into the top 60 and qualify.

The Masters was Homa’s first made cut since last year’s Open Championship, and he finished T12 at Augusta. But since then, he has finished 70th, T30, T60, and T51. Last year, he was ranked 10th in the world.