AUGUSTA, Georgia (Reuters) -American golfer Max Homa has had a tough run with caddies lately.
Having been “fired” by his long-time looper Joe Greiner just before the Masters, the 34-year-old Californian had another block one of his shots at Augusta on Thursday.
It was not Homa’s caddie but another on the eighth hole who had his back turned as the golfer shot from the trees in search of the fairway on the par five.
Instead he found the backside of a startled caddie, who turned around and cleared the path a bit too late.
Homa put the shot behind him to par the hole but struggled to a two-over 74 to be equal 51st, nine strokes behind the leading Justin Rose.
A six-times winner on the PGA Tour, Homa finished joint third at last year’s Masters, his best result at a major.
He has had a rough year on tour so far, though, missing five consecutive cuts leading into the Masters.
Homa split with his caddie and close friend Greiner after the Players Championship and said it was not his decision.
“It was not my choice so it sucked, but we always had a deal that we’re friends first and friendship mattered more than the work thing, and he was wise enough to do what he did,” he said this week.
Greiner is carrying twice major-winner Justin Thomas’s bag at the Masters, filling in for Thomas’s regular Matt Minister as he rests up with a back problem.
Thomas was a stroke better than Homa on the opening day, carding a 73.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
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