Max Homa, Collin Morikawa get a lesson in how to close a Masters

“I thought I handled myself great,” Homa said of his best shot at a major. “Didn’t make any putts, really didn’t feel like I blinked. Would have loved the ball on 12 not to go in the foot of ivy. But I hit a good shot, and I think I did that all weekend.”

Having the honor of seeing up close and personal the greatest active player in golf, Homa and Morikawa both paid proper homage.

“Scottie is an amazing golfer; it’s really impressive,” Homa said. “Obviously, I was going to need to play some spectacular golf today and did not. But I thought I played some really good golf. So, I’m proud of that. And it was a really fun weekend.”

“It’ impressive,” said Morikawa, who is a year younger and has played golf with Scheffler since they were juniors. “The distance he’s hitting it and how good he’s hitting his irons … what he’s doing with his irons is crazy impressive because he’s hitting every shot, moving both directions. It’s something that I admired and hopefully I can get my game back to that kind of spot.”

Already having proved he belongs among golf’s young elite, Morikawa has demonstrated he is well-made for Augusta as well. His tie for third was his third consecutive top 10 finish in five Masters starts. The only time he has finished outside the Top 18 was his first time in 2020, when he made the cut and tied for 44th.

Homa’s getting used to the big time as well. After missing the cut his first two tries, he’s gone 48th, 43rd and third in the last three.

Both players will be invited back based on this year’s performance alone. But they leave Augusta National’s grounds eager to try their hands at another major.

“It’s bittersweet, I guess, because I feel accomplished but I feel like it doesn’t really mean anything in the grand scheme of things,” Homa said. “I just feel like I learned; I feel like I took a big leap. The rhetoric on me — and this is from myself, as well — is I have not performed in these things. But I performed for all four days. I didn’t throw a 65 in there and sneak my way in. I had to sleep on this every single day, this feeling and kind of this monkey on my back.

“For me, I think it’ll change some things, and then in other ways it’ll change nothing at all.”

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