Max Homa won the Genesis Invitational after a playoff against Tony Finau.- Homa had the chance to win the tournament on the 18th green with a three-foot putt, but missed.
- Rather than fall apart, Homa bounced back with the help of some simple advice from his wife.
Max Homa got the win he'd be wanting his entire career on Sunday, taking the Genesis Invitational at Riviera after a playoff against Tony Finau. But the victory might not have come without some sage advice from his wife, Lacey.
Homa, who grew up attending tournaments at Riviera as a fan, had the chance to seal his victory on the 18th green on Sunday, needing only to sink a three-foot birdie putt on the final hole to take the trophy. But despite what looked like an easy win, Homa's putt lipped out, forcing the playoff.
—PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) February 21, 2021
It was the sort of miss that could have sent any golfer into a tailspin. But as Homa explained after the round, a small piece of advice from his wife Lacey helped him get through the moment.
"At the beginning of every round since 2021 started, she'll tell me 'Oh I need to give you advice,'" Homa said on his podcast, "Get a Grip with Max Homa and Shane Bacon" on Monday. "She always forgets. 'I need to give you advice.' She'll give me a couple nuggets. She'll admit, they're dumb. It's off the top of her head. It's just her way of being fun. Supportive, fun, and light. It's stupid."
But while the advice is usually just something of an inside joke - Homa said that he is often reminded to "putt smooth," a direction he didn't quite understand - the advice she gave him on Sunday hit home: Be patient, and forgive quickly.
After his miss on the 18th green, Homa spoke with his wife again before the playoff.
"I had forgotten about 'forgive quickly.' And I called her, and I said, 'I choked babe. I screwed it up.' And she goes 'Forgive quickly. Let it go.' And that was weird. Because of all the dumb stuff we talk about before rounds, that one really resonated hard. And I was like, alright, I'm over it."
From there, Homa bounced back from his miss to win the playoff, taking home the second PGA Tour win of his career at a tournament he had dreamed of winning his entire life.