Max Homa and Justin Thomas both made their professional PGA Tour debuts in the Safeway Open in 2014 where Homa finished tied for ninth and Thomas finished tied for 72nd.
Since then, the two college standouts’ careers went in different directions as Thomas has gone on to win 12 times around the world, including the 2017 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, and Homa has struggled to keep his Tour card.
On Sunday, fittingly, it was Homa’s turn to celebrate on the 18th green at Quail Hollow Club as he put the finishing touches on a three-stroke victory that will certainly change his life.
Max Homa has been waiting his whole life for this putt. pic.twitter.com/jLl1wC9WB5
— GOLFonCBS (@GOLFonCBS) May 5, 2019
“I used to say when I hit rock bottom I found a shovel and kept digging,” Homa said. “I went to some low places and there would be times when I would wallow (in self-pity) and honestly just hate my golf game, dislike what I was out there in what’s supposed to be my favorite place in the world.
“It was embarrassing at times, but it ain’t embarrassing anymore. It’s a cool story now.”
What’s also a cool story is the security the victory gives Homa, who cashed a $1,422,00 winner’s check, nearly doubling his career earnings since that promising start on Tour in 2013.
Previously, Homa had made $967,555 on the PGA Tour and $540,958 on the Web.com Tour, totaling $1,508,513. His largest payday before Sunday was a T10 earlier this year at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, where he made $182,513. Two years ago on the Web.com Tour, he made $18,008 total.
“I mean, I like money, but I don’t care too much about it,” Homa said of what means the most to him coming out of the victory. “The only goal I had this year was to make it to the Tour Championship, so that’s obviously a big boost there. Moving up that FedExCup’s sweet. The job security’s probably a little sweeter. I know it’s been tough on my family.”
Homa will play in his first major championship as a pro in two weeks at the PGA Championship. He’s also now in the field for the 2020 Masters.
Here’s the complete purse payout breakdown for the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship.
| Finish | Player | FedEx | Earnings ($) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Max Homa | 500 | 1,422,000 |
| 2 | Joel Dahmen | 300 | 853,200 |
| 3 | Justin Rose | 190 | 537,200 |
| 4 | Paul Casey | 109 | 311,063 |
| 4 | Jason Dufner | 109 | 311,063 |
| 4 | Rickie Fowler | 109 | 311,063 |
| 4 | Sergio Garcia | 109 | 311,063 |
| 8 | Rory McIlroy | 75 | 213,300 |
| 8 | Keith Mitchell | 75 | 213,300 |
| 8 | Pat Perez | 75 | 213,300 |
| 8 | Kyle Stanley | 75 | 213,300 |
| 8 | Jhonattan Vegas | 75 | 213,300 |
| 13 | Jim Knous | 55 | 143,780 |
| 13 | Seamus Power | 55 | 143,780 |
| 13 | Adam Schenk | 55 | 143,780 |
| 13 | Shawn Stefani | 55 | 143,780 |
| 13 | Vaughn Taylor | 55 | 143,780 |
| 18 | Chez Reavie | 44 | 99,540 |
| 18 | Doc Redman | 0 | 99,540 |
| 18 | Rory Sabbatini | 44 | 99,540 |
| 18 | Webb Simpson | 44 | 99,540 |
| 18 | Brendon Todd | 44 | 99,540 |
| 18 | Aaron Wise | 44 | 99,540 |
| 24 | Bud Cauley | 35 | 67,348 |
| 24 | Jason Day | 35 | 67,348 |
| 24 | Dylan Frittelli | 35 | 67,348 |
| 24 | Brian Harman | 35 | 67,348 |
| 28 | Patrick Reed | 30 | 56,090 |
| 28 | Ollie Schniederjans | 30 | 56,090 |
| 28 | Henrik Stenson | 30 | 56,090 |
| 31 | Lucas Glover | 22 | 44,804 |
| 31 | Hideki Matsuyama | 22 | 44,804 |
| 31 | Alex Prugh | 22 | 44,804 |
| 31 | Nick Watney | 22 | 44,804 |
| 31 | Cody Gribble | 22 | 44,804 |
| 31 | Sungjae Im | 22 | 44,804 |
| 31 | Martin Laird | 22 | 44,804 |
| 38 | Adam Hadwin | 15 | 32,390 |
| 38 | Matt Jones | 15 | 32,390 |
| 38 | Colt Knost | 15 | 32,390 |
| 38 | Sebastián Muñoz | 15 | 32,390 |
| 38 | Joaquin Niemann | 15 | 32,390 |
| 38 | Richy Werenski | 15 | 32,390 |
| 38 | Chase Wright | 15 | 32,390 |
| 45 | Ryan Blaum | 10 | 23,131 |
| 45 | Nate Lashley | 10 | 23,131 |
| 45 | Adam Long | 10 | 23,131 |
| 45 | Kevin Streelman | 10 | 23,131 |
| 45 | Jimmy Walker | 10 | 23,131 |
| 50 | Bill Haas | 8 | 19,237 |
| 50 | Hank Lebioda | 8 | 19,237 |
| 50 | Trey Mullinax | 8 | 19,237 |
| 50 | Zack Sucher | 8 | 19,237 |
| 54 | Daniel Berger | 6 | 17,933 |
| 54 | Roberto Díaz | 6 | 17,933 |
| 54 | Harris English | 6 | 17,933 |
| 54 | John Senden | 6 | 17,933 |
| 54 | Brendan Steele | 6 | 17,933 |
| 54 | Nick Taylor | 6 | 17,933 |
| 60 | Tony Finau | 5 | 17,064 |
| 60 | Brice Garnett | 5 | 17,064 |
| 60 | J.J. Henry | 5 | 17,064 |
| 60 | Kramer Hickok | 5 | 17,064 |
| 60 | Kyoung-Hoon Lee | 5 | 17,064 |
| 65 | Brandon Harkins | 4 | 16,432 |
| 65 | Tom Hoge | 4 | 16,432 |
| 65 | Luke List | 4 | 16,432 |
| 68 | Julián Etulain | 3 | 16,116 |
| 69 | Jason Kokrak | 3 | 15,958 |
| 70 | Wes Roach | 3 | 15,721 |
| 70 | Matthew Short | 0 | 15,721 |
| 72 | Fabián Gómez | 3 | 15,484 |
| 73 | Beau Hossler | 3 | 15,326 |
