MASTERS TOURNAMENT

April 9, 2026

Max Homa

Quick Quotes

Q. I was curious generally speaking how you feel like you managed it out there?

MAX HOMA: Yeah, really good. It wasn't the hardest day. Thursdays are always tricky out here, because you don't know exactly what the green speeds are going to be and how firm they're going to be, so I was proud of it.

I didn't hit anything close, but I hit a lot of greens. Just did the things I think you have to do at Augusta. Out of position, got back in position. Got one kind of bad break and just kind of moved on from it, so it was nice.

Q. Didn't seem to be the case today, but when a golfer has a bad start and they feel like they need to make up for it, especially here, what is the down side of that when they start pressing?

MAX HOMA: Even on the easiest day here you are playing -- you're still playing on the razor's edge. I watched in my group one of the guys got off to not a great start, and you start to trying to press on a hole like three. If you got a great shot, you have a kick-in. If you don't, it's hard to make par or bogey at times.

So that's this whole place. I think that's why you see when someone wins, they hit a legendary golf shot, but someone that day also tried that and, you know, blew up in their face. It's the golf course, man. Everything is so fine.

Q. Other sports trying hard, you move your feet more, you run faster. What's the definition of trying harder in the middle of a golf round when you are struggling?

MAX HOMA: It depends where your focus is. I would like to -- ideally you would shift your focus on trying to be more present and trying to go through your process better, but I think typically we try and hit the hardest shot. So force a birdie instead of knowing you could maybe make a 40-footer or chip one in.

It's a hard thing to do, but I do think that's what guys who end up winning a golf tournaments do.

Q. How were you with that today?

MAX HOMA: Today I was great. Today was nearly perfect for me, just emotion or control of emotions and control of just, like, taking what I had, so pretty proud of that.

Q. I wanted to go back to what he was saying about at times when people are pressing at these tournaments, especially the Masters in particular. For you personally how do you sort of calm the adrenaline down when you are in a situation like that? It's not to do something crazy out there.

MAX HOMA: Yeah, it helped today waking up at 4:00-something. Wake up with a little less energy. The afternoon rounds are tough. You know the ball is one, going to go further and, two, you might start thinking a little too fast.

I think you try to lean on your caddie more, and you just try to be very aware of kind of your emotions and try to factor that in.

Q. I'm curious, on this course in particular, are there any holes that you really need to dial in mentally either because of past difficulties or the difficulty of the hole itself?

MAX HOMA: For me it's eight, and I made eagle today, and I can't wait to go talk trash to my friend Steven because he usually dogs on me for hitting that left tree. He ducked me out there. I couldn't find him, so I am going to go get in his ear. That one has killed me for whatever reason.

There are certain tee shots that -- 17 and 7 for me, it's not like the holes have beat me up, but you just know there are certain ones that might not seem crazy difficult, but there's just something you have a little buggaboo with them.

You get to those tees and came up with a game plan probably months ago about how you're going to take it on. Yeah, I think everyone has a hole or two at every single golf course in the world that does it to them.

Q. Last question: I want to you think back to the initial time when you came here for the Masters. Everybody has this moment, whether it's NBA, welcome-to-the-NBA moment right? When you come here and realize, damn, this is hard; this is the reason why it's so tough. What was your welcome-to-the-Masters moment?

MAX HOMA: My first was the November Masters, so it was so soft and there was no people. I would say the first tee really the second time around where there was a big crowd, that got me a little bit. I had always dreamed of doing it, and it was just funny because it was a year later I thought I would be, quote, unquote, used to being here, but that was a whole different vibe.

Q. Do you remember the nerves?

MAX HOMA: I remember people were quiet. I almost felt like I needed to look up to make sure people were still there, so it was a terrifying feeling.