By Canadian Press

Max Homa comes from 5 back to win Farmers Open by 2 strokes

Jan 28, 2023 | 6:54 PM

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Southern California native Max Homa came from five shots off the lead to win the Farmers Insurance Open by two strokes over Keegan Bradley on Saturday at Torrey Pines, where Jon Rahm imploded early and missed a shot at winning his third straight start and moving to No. 1 in the world.

Homa reeled in Sam Ryder, who was trying for a wire-to-wire win, and then held off Bradley and Collin Morikawa for his sixth PGA Tour win and fourth in his home state. He took the Genesis at Riviera in 2021 and has won the Fortinet Championship in Nampa in consecutive years.

Homa closed with a 6-under 66 to finish at 13-under 275. He made a 4-foot birdie putt on No. 18 and pumped his right fist before greeting wife Lacey and infant son Cam just off the green. 

Bradley also shot a 66 on the South Course. Morikawa shot 69 and finished at 10-under. Ryder shot 75, his worst round of the week, and tied for fourth with Sahith Theegala (70) and Sungjae Im (70) at 9-under.

Rahm shot a 74, his worst round of the week, and tied for seventh at 8-under with Jason Day (68), a two-time Farmers winner. Rahm got his first PGA Tour win here in 2017 and then won the U.S. Open in 2021 at the municipal course that overlooks the Pacific Ocean. Rahm won The American Express at PGA West last weekend and at the Sentry Tournament of Champions three weekends ago at Kapalua.

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Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., finished tied for 44th at 2-over, while Taylor Pendrith of Richmond Hill, Ont., tied for 60th at 5-over.

Homa, playing in the group ahead of Ryder, Rahm and Tony Finau, took the lead at 12-under by curling in a 16-foot birdie putt on the par-3 16th after a 226-yard tee shot. Ryder, who wore magenta joggers, had a double-bogey 6 on the 15th to drop to 10-under.

Ryder, who eagled his first hole of the tournament, was in a three-way tie for first after the opening round and had sole possession of the lead after the second and third rounds. 

After making an impressive run up the leaderboard on Friday to move into sole possession of second place, two shots behind Ryder, Rahm bogeyed No. 1 and missed a birdie putt by inches on No. 4 before his round fell apart on the par-4 No. 5.

Rahm drove into a fairway bunker and then flew the green into the thick rough. It took him three shots to chop his way out of the rough and by the time he sank a nine-foot putt, he had tumbled into a tie for fifth.

DIVOTS: San Diegan Phil Mickelson, a defector to the LIV Tour, took a shot at Ryder’s pants when he tweeted: “The Tour doesn’t allow shorts but does allow this week’s leader to wear joggers with ankle socks? Showing four inches of ankle? I’m no fashion guy, never will be, but there are some things I won’t ever understand.”

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

Bernie Wilson, The Associated Press