​Max Homa parlayed his solo runner-up at the John Deere Classic into a spot on the Open Championship tee sheet for 2026. But unlike many of his fellow major contenders, Homa isn’t teeing it up at the Genesis Scottish Open this week as part of his final major prep. Instead, the six-time PGA Tour winner has chosen the opposite-field ISCO Championship in Louisville, Kentucky. Perhaps this unconventional route will pay off with a breakthrough at Royal Birkdale.
He wasn’t sure he’d even earned Open entry until earlier in the week. During a media session at the ISCO Championship at Hurstbourne Country Club, Homa explained that he received a call on Monday after they’d briefly discussed it the night before. “Back in the day or at least how I remembered it at the Deere, the highest finisher not in got a spot. They don’t have that anymore, but I guess the World Ranking got me in or something like that,” he said, noting the weather delay that framed the moment. The call caused a moment of panic: “We had obviously zero thought of going over there. I won’t see my family now for a few weeks, but that was a bit of a scramble, though my wife’s a superstar and told me to head on over.”
Homa’s best finish prior to the John Deere Classic had been a top-10 at the Masters, yet much of his 2026 schedule had not yielded many results. He found form at TPC Deere Run, finishing 19 under par, with nine straight rounds in the 60s and a late-season surge that included a season-best 64 in the final round. Now he looks ahead to the Open after an impressive run that included a strong finish at Deere Run.
Looking forward to the next event, Homa smiles at what he calls his favorite tournament of the year. “I love the golf over there. The fans are truly incredible; they’re so knowledgeable. There’s just something about walking up 18 at the Opens that’s unlike anything I’ve done,” he said. “Last year I was in Tahoe and woke up every morning to watch the Open because I think it’s the coolest golf tournament. It was a shame there was no bad weather to enjoy from bed. This year, though, the forecast looks pretty good, and I’m hoping for a similar week.”
Homa describes the Open as a week that’s “just a fun event,” and he anticipates it will be a scramble-like week for him. “I don’t have the greatest flight out of here Sunday night, but once we’re there, I think that week I smile and enjoy myself the most of all weeks.”
As for his decision to play ISCO before knowing he’d be in the British Open field, Homa offers a candid clarification. “Full transparency, if I knew I was in the Open, I would have played in Scotland,” he said. He also explained why the Louisville event made sense for him. “I felt a bit of an obligation, in a good way, to take part. It’s an opposite-field event. They don’t get as much notoriety, but this one, especially because it’s co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour, has a pretty impressive field. I’d argue it’s worth more attention—SEO-wise at least—and I’m glad I’m here.”