THE 151ST OPEN

July 22, 2023

Max Homa

Mixed Zone

Q. How do you feel?

MAX HOMA: First time I played with Rory ever was similar to that, but it was in America. It was chaotic. People moving once he hits.

I was really proud how I played. I felt like I stayed within myself. Swung it awesome all day. The ball didn't want to go in but I didn't force it, so it was good.

With all the craziness going on, I thought I played a solid round of golf.

Q. Can you tell me more about how that craziness feels? Is it the fact that everyone is yelling for Rory or that they're trying to get in position for the next shot? What specifically is happening?

MAX HOMA: All of it. I kind of like the yelling because it makes me laugh. I had a guy yell at me, hurry up, no one is watching you anyways today, which I quite like, if I'm being honest.

It's just the moving, but I knew it was going to happen. Fortunately playing with Tiger last year, the funniest part is at St Andrews it's kind of gravel, so right when you'd hit a ball you'd just hear all the footsteps leave.

Today was a little bit different. You could see them. But at some point after the second -- I think it was the second hole I had a putt and I just kind of told myself, that's what you're going to deal with all day. If everybody is moving, no one is moving type of thought.

It's just a lot. The yelling is fine. It's awesome. The only hard part is, not that this matters at all, but if I hit a good shot and he hits an okay shot, he gets a roar and I get a couple claps and then you get up there and -- I guess just that 180-yard walk leaves you uneasy because you think you have 40 feet and then you get up there and you have 10.

That was the only bummer of the day.

Q. Mentally or even practically when you do have that environment, what do you have to do different, or is there anything you have to change or maybe focus on more?

MAX HOMA: I think you've just got to believe in yourself more in a way. I obviously didn't think of myself as like the antagonist, but he was clearly the protagonist today. That's kind of fun, I guess. I was kind of thinking if I could make this Ryder Cup team, would have obviously a very similar feel to it, so I thought this would be good practice for that if and when I can make that team.

I guess I just looked at it as a test.

Q. How do you feel now compared to maybe how you felt on 14 or something?

MAX HOMA: Very good. I was telling myself all day, I'm playing awesome, I just couldn't get a putt to lip in.

So yeah, to finish birdie-par-birdie-par, definitely feel like I got some of what I deserve today. I felt like I played a lot better than 1-under, but it definitely didn't feel like I played an over-par round. My putting coach P.K. says stroked gained is psychological. Those last two birdies definitely were in the positives.

Q. The putts not going in, did it feel like that was kind of the case for Rory, as well, for his round?

MAX HOMA: Yeah, the speed of the greens is a little slower today, and I felt like we would hit good putts and maybe just misread them or be off a foot on the pace. We didn't really fill it up like I imagine a lot of these people are.

But we gave ourselves a lot of looks, and it's kind of what -- it's not Sunday yet, so that's kind of what you're looking for.