The very first thing you must find out about Max Homa is that he constructed a following by being genuinely humorous and self-deprecating on Twitter over time.
The second factor you must know is that Homa’s going via it proper now. He’s in the course of his worst PGA Tour season since 2017, when he wasn’t but established and did not maintain his card.
“Had just a few caddies hit me up just lately hoping to crew up,” Homa tweeted early that 12 months. “They heard they normally get weekends off which is outwardly a terrific promoting level.” An A-plus line.
Within the Elon period of Twitter — or X, when you completely insist — sure prolific posters have misplaced curiosity within the platform or drifted to different websites. One of many greatest subtractions for sports activities followers has been Homa, whose final submit on that app got here Feb. 3.
Talking earlier than the John Deere Traditional final week, Homa defined he takes breaks from Twitter and Instagram due to the vitriol folks ship strangers’ method seemingly with out hesitation.
“If you happen to wouldn’t select to, like, sit round a desk with anyone who’s being that imply, I don’t know, you’ll all the time stand up,” Homa stated. “You’d all the time stand up. If you happen to had been proper there and somebody was being impolite to you, you’ll both ask them to depart otherwise you would depart.”
Like clockwork, Homa was confirmed proper.
Due to an opening-round 63, he was in competition all week on the Deere. Homa briefly held the solo lead Sunday after three early birdies, however he missed essential putts down the stretch and tied for fifth — nonetheless his finest displaying of 2025 by a mile.
Quickly after posting a thank-you to his followers, Homa shared two messages he acquired — the primary from his Instagram DMs. “I hope you (expletive) kill your self dude,” was the way it started, and one way or the other, it solely received worse from there.
The second was a Venmo request for $1,900 “(as a result of) you possibly can’t putt beneath strain,” and whereas that message is hardly as malicious, it will get to the core of what golfers and so many different professional athletes are coping with. I’d wager — pun supposed — that the overwhelming majority of those hateful messages come from aggrieved sports activities bettors.
Excuse me, however you wager $1,900 hard-earned American {dollars} on Max Homa to win a golf event? The man who hasn’t gained in additional than two years and dropped to 99th on the planet rankings? Even Homa himself would have gladly suggested you in opposition to such a silly transfer. “Gamble like a giant boy Carl and take ur lumps like the remainder of us,” he commented on the Venmo screengrab.
Not less than one remark (predictably, on Twitter) implied Homa was a hypocrite as a result of he used to roast his followers’ golf swings. Buddy, don’t damage your self stretching thus far. His followers despatched him these movies, begging to be featured. And Homa was method too humorous and method too form to stoop to dying threats.
Others have stated he shouldn’t be checking social media after a loss. Right here’s the humorous factor about golf: You lose mainly on a regular basis, when you subscribe to the “If you happen to’re not first, you’re final” concept of sports activities. A T5 most likely had Homa feeling higher about his recreation than he has in ages.
Extra to the purpose, it shouldn’t be the athletes’ burden to withstand their telephones; it ought to be on the platforms to higher police hate speech and dying threats.
I can inform this gained’t be the final time I write about offended gamblers focusing on athletes. In latest weeks, the Houston Astros employed safety for Lance McCullers Jr.’s household as a result of a gambler threatened the lives of his youngsters. Sprinter Gabby Douglas was adopted round a meet by a heckler who later bragged his actions “made my parlay win.” There’s that slippery slope, the place the web vitriol trickles into actual life.
Homa might be advantageous, and he’ll most likely win on the PGA Tour once more. Nevertheless it’s a disgrace that somebody whose recognition was constructed by social media now has to really feel like participating the best way he as soon as did is now not definitely worth the bother.