“The whole point of any competition is to see who wins” - Max Homa expresses dislike for ties and retaining the Ryder Cup title

Max Homa has joined the debate currently raging in the world of golf about ties in main team tournaments. The recent outcome of the Solheim Cup fueled the controversy.

Homa is one of those who is not particularly fond of ties in golf. "The whole point of any competition is to see who wins," he told accredited media at the Marco Simone Golf & Country Club on Wednesday.

In the midst of one of the final preparation sessions for the Ryder Cup, Max Homa and several of his teammates held a press conference from the venue. The tie controversy arose during Homa's intervention, and this is what he said, according to NUCLR GOLF:

"I've never liked ties. They don't make sense to me. The whole point of any competition is to see who wins. So I do not like ties. I do not like the retaining thing. I understand why they do it, but I'm not a fan of it. You have a completely new team, for instance, at the Solheim Cup, and they tied. Someone should play a playoff…. I don’t know, just ties leave a bad taste in my mouth.”

Max Homa was one of six players to automatically qualify for the 2023 Ryder Cup team. He did so after a season that included two victories and other interesting results, including his first top-10 finish at a Major championship (The Open).

The 2023 Ryder Cup will be Max Homa's first Ryder Cup appearance.

What are the rules about ties that Max Homa does not like?

The rules for both the Ryder Cup and the Solheim Cup state that in the event of a tie at the end of the competition, no winner is declared and the previous champion retains possession of the trophy.

This rule follows the criterion of the symbolic value of championship status. Supporters of this rule believe that the champion of the previous edition retains that status in the event of a tie, and therefore cannot be deprived of the trophy.

The opponents understand that this rule is unfair because the event changes radically from one edition to another (different players, different courses, etc.). They support the option of using a tie-breaker formula to determine a champion.

The recently concluded Solheim Cup is the first in the tournament's history to end in a tie. In the case of the Ryder Cup, only two of its 43 editions have ended in a tie.

The first was in 1969, when the tournament was played between the United States and Great Britain. That edition ended in a 16-16 tie at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Merseyside, England. The United States took home the trophy.

Twenty years later in 1989, the United States and Europe tied 14-14 again in England, this time at The Belfry. The Europeans retained the trophy for the third consecutive edition.