Canadian Mackenzie Hughes is a PGA Tour winner for the second time
Mackenzie Hughes fist-pumped early - the guy has a top-tier fist-pump game - and his family poured onto the 18th green at the Sanderson Farms Championship to celebrate.
His eldest, Kenton, was born in 2017, not long after Hughes' maiden PGA Tour title. A second son, Cohen, came in 2020. Wife Jenna is pregnant with their third.
It was a moment Hughes had dreamed about for a long time. And Sunday after winning the PGA event in a playoff in Jackson, Miss., he had a dream fulfilled.
I've visualized that many times, and to see it happen, to experience it for real, was unbelievable," said Hughes. I was just through the moon to have that moment, and it kind of makes you want to do it again and again."
The Dundas, Ont. golfer captured the Sanderson Farms title with an eight-foot birdie on the second playoff hole to beat Sepp Straka.
It just came off perfect," said Hughes.
The pair finished at 17 under par through 72 holes, with Hughes shooting 3-under 69 in the final round. Hughes rode a hot putter. He needed just 21 putts in regulation Sunday and was first for the week in strokes gained: tee to green.
Hughes shot a tidy 9-under 63 on Friday to get into the mix and earned a spot in the final group Sunday after a third-round 68. He was 1-under through nine holes in the final round and added birdies on the 10th and 15th, along with clutch par saves on 14, 16 and 18.
His first tour title came at the 2016 RSM Classic, also in a playoff.
I've been a fairly consistent performer over the last five years, but my goal is to win more," said Hughes. This is the kind of stuff I feel like I should be doing, and I want to be doing. It's what makes you feel alive. I couldn't feel better right now."
Hughes also gave a shout-out to Brooke Henderson, whose 12 career victories are the most by a Canadian.
I've had a good career, but what it lacked is wins. You know, I see Brooke winning every year and winning majors and I just followed that as the next progression for me," he said.
This was Hughes's second start of the 2022-23 PGA Tour season, after a tie for 25th at the season-opening Fortinet Championship.
Hughes finished 57th in the FedExCup standings last season, which wrapped up in September. He had two top-five results in the fall portion of the 2021-22 campaign, but struggled when the calendar turned.
He was in the conversation for a spot on the Presidents Cup team, but was passed over for a captain's selection despite the fact that he lives in Charlotte, where the competition took place. The 31-year-old said he used that as motivation.
Once I knew it was coming to Charlotte ... I wanted to be on that team," said Hughes. It hurt, but that's the way it goes in this game sometimes."
With the win, Hughes will be fully exempt on the PGA Tour through 2025 and gets a spot in the Sentry Tournament of Champions, PGA Championship and Masters next season. The victory was worth $1.42 million (U.S.).
Hughes began working with trainer Mike Carroll out of California, and his speed-training regimen. This week's performance, he says, has done wonders for his confidence.
It validates a lot of work I've been putting in," said Hughes. I know this gets said a lot, but I've been close a lot the last five years, and to finally get one and get that monkey off my back for the second (PGA Tour win) is just the greatest feeling in the world."
The Sanderson Farms and its previous iterations has been good to Canadians. Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C. won in 2014. Richard Zokol and Dan Halldorson, both members of the Canadian Golf Hall of Fame, were winners in 1992 and 1986, respectively.
Adam Stanley is an Ottawa-based contributor to the Star's Sports section and the host of golf podcast Next Round's On Me. Follow him on Twitter: @adam_stanley