The twists and turns of the Bryson/Brooks relationship has taken its toll on all of us.
It seems there are two ends of the drama spectrum. For some, the end result of many months of drama has been, above all else, apathy. They simply don’t care whether those two rascals figure out their differences and sing Kumbaya around the fire, or whether they’re feuding from now until the end of time — so long as they don’t have to hear about it. For others, there isn’t enough Brooks/Bryson drama in the world to satisfy their thirst for controversy. Keep the hits coming often. Hell — keep ’em coming every day! Golf isn’t always fun, but this is, so don’t get in the way of a good thing.
But what about those on the PGA Tour? Presumably, it’s their job to care about the goings-on of their fellow players and beyond. But then again, it being their job does not require it to be their business.
It’s a delicate line, and a line that Subpar hosts Colt Knost and Drew Stoltz sought to define during this week’s episode with guest (and three-time PGA Tour winner) Max Homa. Homa is something of a golf hero in the Twittersphere; one of the biggest and most popular accounts in the sport. He’s also one of the tour’s most outspoken pros, unafraid to share his opinions on everything from mental health to the state of your (yes — your) golf swing.
As for Bryson and Brooks, Homa says he was a fan of the rivalry … in the beginning.
“I really enjoyed it for sure in the beginning,” he said. “This stuff was hilarious. I was playing with some guys at the Memorial when the Brooksy thing first began. Seeing him harrassed is not funny, but I mean, when I saw the whole video come out I was like, ‘wow Brooks is really going at this guy.’ I told the guys I was playing with, ‘you don’t want to get the s— brought at you by Brooks.’ He has a big following, and he’s kinda the tough guy on tour. He’s an intimidating dude.”
After a while, Homa says, the headlines proved exhausting for pros, but only because they were confused by the origins of the rivalry.
“This week is good, I think it was getting a little drawn out and played out,” Homa said. “Just because none of us get it. I don’t get it. I was just lost. I don’t like being lost.”
And what about this week’s news that Bryson and Brooks have plans to face each other in a seven-figure, 12-hole match in Las Vegas on the day after Thanksgiving? The Match, which will serve as the follow-up to the DeChambeau/Rodgers vs. Mickelson/Brady match of July, is sure to bring with it plenty of fanfare, and even more drama.
For Homa, a young, accessible golfer who’s proven indespensible in growing the sport in many of the same ways as the Brooks/Bryson rivalry, the Match stakes itself as a natural (if not intentional) progression of things.
“I mean, if that’s what they were doing, respect. SUPER respect to Bryson for dealing with all of this,” Homa said. “I mean Brooks is super cool, he’s got the whole Barstool thing behind it. But if that’s what they’re ploying, it works. It’s an awesome, genius plan, so you can’t knock the hustle.”
To hear the rest of Homa’s Subpar interview, including his thoughts on the PGA Tour’s PIP program, check out the full interview below.
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