By Joel Beall
Through nine holes, things weren’t going Max Homa’s way. He got his round back on track over the next four holes and did so in a curious way: By finding the sand.

Entering the week 16th in the FedEx Cup standings thanks to a two-win season, Homa is in line for his first Tour Championship appearance in his career. However, the 31-year-old needs a solid week at the BMW Championship to ensure he’s not in a hole when arriving to East Lake under the Tour Championship’s staggered-scoring system. That wish got off to a rough start on Thursday morning at Wilmington Country Club, as Homa had two bogeys and a double on the front, and finding a bunker off his tee shot on 10th and another bunker on his approach didn’t portend a turnaround.

Only Homa stopped the bleeding by dropping his third into the bottom of the cup.

Homa followed with another sand save at the short par-4 11th and found the white stuff again at the par-3 13th. Except Homa got back to even par on his round by holing out from the sand again:

What can you say? The man digs the beach.

Along with a trip to Atlanta, a strong week by Homa in Wilmington likely locks up a US captain’s pick for the upcoming Presidents Cup, which will be played at Quail Hollow. A course, you may recall, where Homa captured his breakthrough win on tour at the 2019 Wells Fargo Championship. Should American captain Davis Love III be in need of a bunker savant, we think we found his guy.

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