Most people think golf is a one-man sport, but behind every successful golfer is a team of partnerships. From the caddie to the swing coach, many people collaborate to help a golfer succeed on the professional tour. Sometimes old partnerships dissolve only to be rekindled with a fresh approach. Six-time PGA Tour winner Max Homa is now renewing his partnership with his former swing coach, Mark Blackburn.

Max Homa recently announced via Instagram that he’s parting ways with swing coach John Scott Rattan to reunite with Blackburn. The post features videos of their recent practice sessions together. “Excited to say @blackburngolf was kind enough to rejoin the team so we got some work in yesterday! We had a lot of success and I’m looking forward to grinding to make that happen again in ‘26. I’m happy he was kind enough to take me back cuz we’ve worked so well together and it was cool how quickly it felt like old times. Here’s some swings for u golf dorks out there (I am a golf dork so it’s cool I say this),” Homa captioned the post.

After winning his first PGA Tour title in 2019, Homa struggled in 2020, missing six of nine events in the first half of the year. Following his sixth missed cut at the 2020 US Open, he reunited with Blackburn, and within two years, the American golfer won five PGA Tour titles, including the prestigious 2021 Genesis Invitational and the 2022 Wells Fargo. Homa also reached a career-high World No. 5 in the Official World Golf Ranking during this period.

However, 2024 was a rough year. His best finish in the second half was tied for 22nd at the Memorial Tournament. Despite his struggles, Homa was selected for the Presidents Cup, but decided to split from Blackburn afterward. “It’s just a tough year. Time for a change. It’s unfortunate, I love Mark. He’s basically a part of my family. He’s just been an amazing human being,” Homa said about the split.

He then began working with John Scott Rattan, who focused on tweaking Homa’s backswing to improve mechanics by positioning his arms more in front of his body. After the 2025 Baycurrent Classic, Homa and Rattan parted ways. Rattan expressed gratitude for their time together, saying in an email to Golfweek, “Working with Max has been a privilege. He’s made great progress, and I’m proud of the work we did together.”

Homa acknowledged their work in his announcement, writing, “I do want to thank John Scott Rattan for our time together. He’s one of the kindest and smartest people in the game of golf. I have nothing but good things to say about him.”

The move back to Blackburn comes at a crucial time for Homa. Though his 2025 season was not as poor as previous years, he missed five consecutive cuts, demonstrating lingering struggles. Given their past success together, this reunion signals Homa’s intent to regain his earlier form. Only time will reveal if they can recreate the magic that brought him his best career moments.

Top Stories

Brandel Chamblee Calls Out Special Treatment of Jordan Spieth & Rickie Fowler During PGA Tour Events

Charlie Woods Matches 34-Year-Old Tiger Woods Record Despite Turbulent Year

Amanda Balionis Opens Up as Her Golf Initiative Nears 5-Year Milestone

LIV Golf Signs a Deal With PGA Tour’s 20-Year-Long Partner in Another Shocking Move

Tiger Woods’ Treatment of Caddies Set Him Apart from PGA Tour Rivals, Confesses Steve Williams

Max Homa’s poor 2025 season could be the reason behind his move

While Max Homa has not made any official statement, his poor 2025 season could very well be the reason behind his move. After switching to Rattan, Homa played only one event in 2024, which was the Zozo Championship. He did well to finish T27 at the event. Fans would have hoped that the improved performance would continue in 2025, but that was not the case. Homa started on the right foot with a T26 finish at the season opener, The Sentry. Then he withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open amidst suspended play. He joined many other golfers who withdrew from the event, including Scottie Scheffler, Akshay Bhatia, Xander Schaffer, Collin Morikawa, and others.

Since then, he finished T53 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am before missing cuts in five consecutive events, starting from the WM Phoenix Open and ending at the Valero Texas Open. After that, he missed the cut in three other events: the RBC Canadian Open, the Rocket Classic, and the Wyndham Championship. He did perform well at the Masters and the John Deere Classic, where he finished T12 and T5, respectively. However, his overall season was not what he had hoped for.

After such a season, it sounds logical that Max Homa is switching back to his former swing coach, Mark Blackburn. The duo has seen some amazing days in the past. But will they be able to recreate the magic? Only time would tell.