MAN OF PEOPLE

David Facey meets Max Homa, golf's 'King of Twitter', who lives up to his reputation as the most likeable man on tour...

- David Facey

You desperately want to like a golfer who can react to missing the cut 15 times in 17 starts by announcing he has been inundated with job requests from would-be caddies, “because having most weekends off is apparently a big selling point!” And the good news is that the player in question, Max Homa, really is a lot of fun to be around.

That self-deprecating sense of humour is never far away, although it is most frequently on show in Homa’s social media posts, which have seen him acclaimed as golf’s ‘King of Twitter’. And when you sit down with the chatty Californian, the broad smile and the quick quips confirm him as one of the most likeable characters in the game.

Homa confesses he is currently baffled by a sudden fascination among his 567,000 Twitter followers about “how hairy I am – especially my arms, which I guess they get to see a lot of on TV. What is it about having hairy arms that people seem to find so amusing? I get gorilla memes and King Kong clips sent to me on a regular basis. It’s a good job I’m not insecure, or I’d buy a giant bunch of bananas and go into hiding somewhere!” he says.

“Look, the whole social media thing has been great for me. But I don’t think it was ever something I set out to cultivate. People just get attracted to other people and the vibe they give off. There are a lot more interesting people on the PGA Tour. I think I’m a bit of a boring player to watch when I’m actually on the course, but I do think of some funny stuff, which I’m happy to share. After that, it’s just human reaction.”