Hours After Sticking Up For Justin Thomas, Max Homa Throws an Intimidating Challenge at His Team US Comrade Amid $8.4 Showdown

A resting, calm face and a spare smile always ready to pop up are the trademarks of the charming Max Homa. Add to that the little crackle in his voice accentuating his humor sense, and you have an entertaining star right there. And this often reflects in his interactions with the press, just like it did recently when he was asked about Justin Thomas‘ game.

In an interview ahead of the Fortinet Championship, the golf pro faced a question about JT and his recent form. Driven by his instincts, Homa started off with a joke before answering the question. Now, motivated by that fun interaction, another journalist recently mentioned Thomas to the 6-time PGA Tour winner, and let’s just say she got what she wanted.

Homa can’t help but smile when another Justin Thomas question pops up

The $8.4 million Fortinet Championship’s official Instagram page uploaded a video of Max Homa answering a journalist after she asked him about Justin Thomas’ performance in the tournament. The question focused on whether Homa paid attention to Thomas’ brilliant round.

The journalist further asked if Thomas’ performance had, in some way, motivated him. A cheerful smile preceded Homa’s answer, which took a friendly dig at his Ryder Cup mate. “Yeah, of course. I always like to beat Justin.” 

He then mentioned how Thomas had texted him about Homa’s great bounces. He gloated a little about how he is “in his head already in the week.” Homa playfully warned that he was hoping to “duke it out a little bit this weekend.” 

Before the tournament began, Max Homa answered a question about Thomas that mentioned his FedEx Cup ranking. The journalist asked what his reaction would be if he had told the PGA Tour star at the previous Fortinet about Thomas’ 2023 position being 71. Homa, as always, found something to laugh at immediately. He joked about how he would find it weird that someone would come up to him to say that.

Read more: “Gonna Compare Him”: After Sending Flattering Words Justin Thomas’ Way, Ryder Cup Rival Rory McIlroy Makes a Surprising Statement

Following his snicker, Homa explained how the numbers are actually not that bad and, in his opinion, Thomas played good golf. The golf pro couldn’t have been more right in his answer; after all, just hours later, Thomas went to prove him right, giving the reigning champion himself a run for his money!

Max Homa and JT play cat and mouse

The competition has been pretty tight between Thomas and Homa this week. The two have been at each other’s tails, switching leads in the tournament so far. After the first round, in which Max Homa scored a 2-under with five birdies and three bogeys, Justin Thomas scored a 3-under with four birdies and a bogey to take the lead!

On Friday, the scenario turned 180 degrees. Although Thomas actually improved on his first round, with six birdies and a bogey to finish the round at 5-under, Homa had a much better second round than him. He scored the same six birdies with a completely bogey-free round.

The story went into a loop in the third round, where Thomas took the lead again with a bogey-free round of 7-under, including an eagle. Homa scored six birdies but sustained four bogeys as well and finished the round at 2-under par.

It’s going to be quite nail-biting to see if Homa finds his lead again. He currently shares the 11th position with two others. Justin Thomas is at the top, sharing his second position with two others as well. Tune in to see if their cat-and-mouse chase continues on Sunday!

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