Max Homa, You Have Our Attention at the Baycurrent Classic

The Ryder Cup has come and gone, and not to put you in a sour mood or anything, but we’re 183 days away from the opening round of the Masters. We’re a long ways away from meaningful, big-boy golf. The wait is a little easier knowing PGA TOUR action is back come January, but the next few months are tough.

And yes, there are a few fun events in there—the field for Tiger Woods’ Hero World Challenge was released on Tuesday—but for the most part, the wait for the calendar to flip to 2026 is on.

So, to make sure I stay attentive for the last few events of the FedExCup Fall, I’ve decided to really dial into a certain storyline, a certain player for each tournament. Who will I be watching in Japan?

That would be Mr. Max Homa.

I miss Max. I miss when this dude was addicted to contending and winning TOUR events. I’m sure that addition hasn’t left him, but his swing has over the last few seasons. But judging by recent social media posts, YouTube videos—he shot a 9-under 62 in a recent video with Grant Horvat—and TOUR finishes, it feels like Homa is on the precipice of being back.

Baycurrent Classic: How to Watch, Tee Times

As you can see in that comparison Homa posted six weeks ago, he’s not stuck anymore! For a guy who prefers to see the ball cut, being stuck is absolutely the worst-case scenario. He’d lose it right, flip his hands over and miss it left. It’s just not a great place to be when you want to see the ball move tightly left to right.

But that club head is back to being even with, or even a little in front of, his hands just before impact, and that’s a beautiful thing.

After a season that saw Homa miss eight cuts in 22 starts and grab just one top-10 finish, he’s played in two fall events so far. He tied for 19th at the Procore Championship, a tournament he’s won twice, and for 18th at the Sanderson Farms Championship last week.

Now he’s back in Japan for the Baycurrent Classic, formally known as the ZOZO Championship. And yes, Homa’s two-for-two in made cuts at this event, but it’ll be held at a new golf course in 2025. Yokohama Country Club is a par-71 track that measures 7,315 yards on the scorecard. It might be a new course for Max, but it’s also a mystery for the rest of the 78-man field.

If the once fifth-ranked player in the world can continue to build momentum, and continue to grow more confident with his swing corrections, I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see him win before year’s end.

At the end of the day, golf is a lot better when Max has late tee times on Sunday afternoon.