PGA Tour star explains surprise caddie split on eve of Masters

Max Homa has revealed the decision to part ways with caddie Joe Greiner on the eve of the Masters was not his choice. 

The six-time PGA Tour winner has endured a torrid run ever since contending here at Augusta National last year, making only one top-ten finish since the Wells Fargo Championship last May.

And it would be not be overselling the the affable American’s struggle to suggest that he is in the worst form of any of the 95 players teeing it up in this year’s tournament.

Indeed, he has missed his last five cuts dating back to February’s Phoenix Open and is yet to make a cut in a full field event in 2025.

Change, therefore, was perhaps inevitable.

But it was intriguing to learn this split with his childhood friend Greiner was by no way a mutual parting of ways.

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“It was not my choice so it sucked,” Homa explained. “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.

“It’s hard. I’m just so used to him caddying. And even just on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesdays, you just have this easy rhythm.

“But I was happy that he did it, because I would rather — you know, at the end of my days we continue to be great friends than one of us resent the other for how hard this game can be on a relationship.

“It sucks because I just pictured always walking fairways with Joe. But again, thar was not the deal. I would rather walk life with Joe forever than this dumb game.

“So it’s been hard to process, but also good in a way, because friendship does matter more than any of this stuff.”

With new man Bill Harke on the bag this week, new practice range data showed on Tuesday that Homa hit more balls than anyone in the field. And while he still gets to grips with a swing change after splitting from the renowned instructor Mark Blackburn last September, Homa is desperately waiting for his hard work to translate into even satisfactory scorecards.

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“I’ve never really gone through something like this where it’s really good and then I’ll get on a Thursday and doesn’t really feel bad, it just isn’t good,” he added.

“Results have been awful. I haven’t putted well this year either. It’s just not helping. But so much attention has been to just the big stuff so that’s been hard.

“But, yeah, I mean it’s not far off. I hit the ball, when I’m going good on the range or at home I’m hitting it better than I can ever hit it. I’m shaping shots better than I ever shaped ’em.

“I’m just still not used to certain misses. It’s not like the range when I get in a rhythm it seems to be the issue is hitting one at a time, waiting in between, different lies, different wind, different pins.

“But been doing everything we can – it just hasn’t clicked yet.”

Ben Parsons is the Senior Writer at bunkered and is the man to come to for all of the latest news, across both the professional and amateur games. Formerly of The Mirror and Press Association, he is a member at Halifax Golf Club and is a long-suffering fan of both Manchester United and the Wales rugby team.