If Max Homa is going on to win on Sunday on the Nedbank Golf Challenge, it’s going to be his fourth victory international for the reason that starting of 2022. Only Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Cameron Smith, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have extra.
If that turns out like heady company Homa, lately ranked No. 8 on the earth, is conserving, that is as a result of it’s. It’s the community he is been enjoying in for a very long time, regardless that, and he is going to be tough to catch at 13 underneath, with a one-stroke lead over Matthieu Pavon and two over fellow Ryder Cupper Nicolai Hojgaard in addition to Thorbjorn Olesen.
Homa shot 3 underneath within the 3rd round at Gary Player Country Club, which used to be probably the most handful of best possible rounds on a tricky day.
Homa, who’s making his first get started since a fantastic Ryder Cup debut on the finish of September, is unquestionably the man to beat. Data Golf offers him a 50% probability of successful, and he is taking a look at what’s going to nearly unquestionably be his 7th consecutive most sensible 12 end relationship the entire long ago to the Scottish Open in July.
There’s extra. Since 2019, Homa has entered the final round of an tournament within the most sensible 3 at the leaderboard 8 occasions. He has gained 5 of the ones tournaments, which is an astounding quantity given the caliber of fields he is steadily up in opposition to.
The chasers shall be forged however no longer impressive. You have to cross the entire means down to 7 underneath the place Tommy Fleetwood sits T8, six again of Homa, to to find anyone who is gained on the stage Homa has gained at international.
That’s no longer to say it’s going to be simple. Homa stumbled out of the gate on Saturday within the 3rd round, just about having to play a provisional after which making an early bogey on a par 3. He recovered well, regardless that, with an eagle on the par-5 tenth and some other birdie coming house for his 3rd immediately 33 at the again 9 of the golfing path.
“I wasn’t swinging it so well to start, I was a bit scrappy,” mentioned Homa. “I hit the ball really well coming down the last nine or ten holes. That was nice. I didn’t hole anything putting wise but I made a nice bunker shot for eagle on 10, which helped because I couldn’t get the ball to go into the hole. I hit it really well and had a lot of looks.”
Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland, Cameron Smith, Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy … and Max Homa. Those are the names of the gamers that may have gained 4 or extra occasions for the reason that get started of 2022 if Homa hangs on to his one-shot lead in South Africa on Sunday. An inventory that do not need been fathomable to the Homa of 5 years in the past however this is changing into increasingly more acquainted as he continues his march towards the highest of the Official World Golf Rankings.Â