Homa back in winners circle

Washington – Max Homa (above) held off fellow American Keegan Bradley down the stretch on Sunday to win the Wells Fargo Championship for his fourth career US PGA title.

World No 38 Homa fired a twounder-par 68 in cold and breezy conditions to finish on eight-under 272 and a two-stroke victory at rain-soaked TPC Potomac at Avenel in suburban Washington.

“It feels good,” Homa said. “It’s a special day for me. I just feel like life is good and I’m playing some good golf.”

Homa, 31, had captured prior tour trophies at the 2019 Wells Fargo, Riviera in February 2021 and last September at Napa, California.

Homa joined Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, fellow American Sam Burns, Australian Cameron Smith and 2021 Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama of Japan as multiple PGA Tour winners in the 2021/22 season.

“It’s super awesome,” Homa said. “I’m coming into my own and starting to believe in myself and that’s all I can ask for.”

Third-round leader Bradley, the 2011 PGA Championship winner in his Major debut, made a closing bogey to shoot 72 and settled for a share of second on 274 with countryman Cameron Young and England’s Matthew Fitzpatrick.

“I didn’t play my best golf,” Bradley said. “It was choppy and then I had a couple good stretches but I had a chance there at the end, so I’m proud of that aspect of it.”Four-time Major winner and defending champion Rory McIlroy was fifth on 276 after a closing 68 with India’s Anirban Lahiri, American Lanto Griffin and Germany’s Stephan Jaeger on 277.

Bradley, ranked 64th, was chasing his first title in four years but couldn’t match Homa as both endured roller-coaster back nines.

Homa sank a birdie putt from just inside 10 feet at the par-three ninth, then made a three-foot birdie putt at the par-five 10th to grab the lead alone at nine-under.

Bradley knocked his approach into a hazard at 11 on the way to a double bogey while Homa sank a par putt from just inside nine feet to seize a three-stroke advantage.

Homa found deep rough off the 13th tee on the way to a bogey and Bradley two-putted from 48 feet for birdie at the par-four 14th to pull back within one.

But Homa bounced back with a 13-foot birdie putt at the par-four 15th while Bradley bogeyed and fell three adrift. –