Max Homa carries bag at U.S. Open qualifier after caddie split - ESPN

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Max Homa stood out more than usual Monday in a U.S. Open qualifier filled with PGA Tour players. He was the only one carrying his own bag.

Homa didn't have a caddie and didn't feel like talking about it, regardless of how much attention it was getting on social media.

He and his caddie of two months, Bill Harke, are no longer together, according to a person informed of the split and said only that Harke «lost his job.» The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because word of the separation needed to come from Homa. And Homa didn't offer much insight.

«I'd much rather talk about the golf instead of all the questions about the caddie,» Homa said. «I'm good. Just hoofed it 36.»

As for the golf? That story wasn't quite over.

«It's going to probably be heartbreaking, but it's all right,» Homa said. «I haven't carried my bag 36 holes in a while so I'm a little tired.»

When asked about his attitude, Homa dropped one clue about the split.

«It seems to be better than when someone is standing next to me for some reason,» he said. «I might need to walk by myself more. Maybe I just looked at it as a nice, peaceful walk. Probably got to battle some demons and have no one to lean on. Maybe that helps a little bit. There's no one… everything is me. The battle helped that a little bit.»

The qualifier at Kinsale offered six spots to the U.S. Open at Oakmont next week. Homa was around the bubble most of the day. He left a chip in the rough on his ninth hole of the second round and made double bogey, followed that with a bogey and then responded with two straight birdies.

He looked to be safe with a second shot into 25 feet on the par-5 ninth hole, his last one. But the uphill putt turned around