‘It’s Quite Nauseating’: Max Homa on Current State of Men’s Pro Golf

While there are a whole number of factors that can go into why this year’s Masters television viewership was down 20% on Sunday, the fact of the matter remains: Viewership for nearly all PGA Tour events in 2024 is down at about that number. 

Is it because the top stars are not playing on the same tour anymore?

Are ardent golf fans tired of hearing more about how much golfers are making instead of having the spotlight shine on the course? 

Golfers on both sides of the proverbial aisle – the PGA Tour and LIV Golf – agree that many of men’s pro golf’s wounds have been self-inflicted.

Max Homa, who was tied for the lead at one point on Sunday before Scottie Scheffler pulled away to win by four strokes, shared some pointed thoughts before this week’s RBC Heritage on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina.

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“[Golf fans] probably should have fatigue,” Homa said.

“I don’t know why they’d want to care about how much money we’re making and how much more money we want to make. It’s quite nauseating … I think we hit this year-and-a-half- or two-year rut as both golfers and golf leagues that was just about making the players happy. Unfortunately and quite obviously, the fans were not benefitted by that.”

Homa said the worst part is that there has been some great golf out on the course, which fewer people are seeing and even fewer people are talking about.

“I’ve actually been pretty amazed this year with the fatigue I have from all of this garbage going on. The Masters was incredible. Bay Hill was awesome. THE PLAYERS was awesome. All these events I’ve been to have been great … yet on the internet and what I’m seeing with those numbers and all that, it does seem like yeah, I would imagine fans have fatigue”

All gas, no brakes.@MaxHoma holds a share of the lead at #theMasterspic.twitter.com/dGGxqMz5B7

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) April 12, 2024

Both Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau have made similar comments, yet there doesn’t appear to be significant progress in negotiations between the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund as we approach the one-year mark of the “framework agreement” being made between the sides on June 6, 2023.

Cover Image via X