Max Homa kisses his trophy on the practice green after winning the Genesis Invitational golf tournament at Riviera Country Club, Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles.The Canadian Press
Winning at Riviera was always a dream for Max Homa since he first attended the PGA Tour event as a toddler. He never could have scripted a finish like Sunday at the Genesis Invitational.
Homa missed a three-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for the win. On the first playoff hole, he appeared to have no chance when his tee shot settled inches from a tree. He somehow escaped to extend the playoff, and won it on the next hole when hard-luck Tony Finau failed to save par from a bunker on the par-three 14th.
As much of a heartbreak as it was for Finau — his 10th runner-up finish worldwide since his lone victory in the Puerto Rico Open five years ago — the emotion was too much for Homa.
He grew up 30 miles away in Valencia. He grew up idolizing Tiger Woods, the tournament host who presented him the trophy. He nearly threw it away with a three-foot putt. And he walked off with his second PGA Tour victory.
“I’ve been watching this tournament my whole life,” Homa said, choking back emotions before he said, “Wow. I didn’t think it would be like this. ... The city of Champions — Dodgers, Lakers and me now. It’s a weird feeling.”
Homa not only closed with a five-under 66, he played the final 26 holes without a bogey.
This looked to be a storybook finish for Homa when Sam Burns, who had led from the opening round, ran into a string of bogeys on the back nine.
It came down to Homa and Finau, who saved par on the 18th for a 64, the low round of the weekend. Homa made a six-foot birdie putt on the par-five 17th to tie for the lead, and he stuffed his approach on the 18th for what looked to be a sure birdie.
And then he missed.
“You’re not supposed to miss a three-footer in front of Tiger Woods,” Homa said. “I saw him yesterday and was too scared to talk to him. But he’s forced to talk to me now.”
Worse yet was his tee shot on the 10th. Homa managed to hood a wedge and scoot it up the slope to the edge of the green, and with a front left pin — typically the Saturday position, changed this year because of the wind — it left him 12 feet away. He narrowly missed. Finau, in great position, chipped to seven feet and with his shadow over the cup hit it too weakly.
The victory allowed Homa to crack the top 50 in the world for the first time, making him eligible for the World Golf Championship next week and get him back to the Masters.
Burns closed with a 69 and missed the playoff by one shot.
The top Canadian was Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., who shot a final-round 69 to finish at three-under in a tie for 20th. Adam Hadwin, also of Abbotsford, closed with a 70 to finish at two-under, in a tie for 26th. Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., had a final round of 69 to finish at one-under in a tie for 32nd.
Homa and Finau finished at 12-under 272 on a Riviera course that was fast, firm and bouncy all week, and was never more difficult than Saturday in a gust of wind that led to play being halted.
Dustin Johnson, the No. 1 player in golf, started the final round two shots behind and in the final group. He missed an easy birdie chance on the opening hole and it never got much better. Johnson failed to make a run and fell back with careless bogeys along the back nine. He shot 72 and tied for eighth.