Mackenzie Hughes Player Profile And What's In The Bag

IT WASN’T pretty to watch but Mackenzie Hughes finally has his second PGA Tour victory, six years after his first.

The Canadian beat Austria’s Sepp Straka at the second hole of a playoff at the Sanderson Farms Championship thanks to a magnificent birdie on the 18th. He had barely been able to hit a fairway all day long but he produced a sensational display of scrambling all day long, holing putt after putt to keep himself in the frame.

The pair finished level on 17 under par after regulation, with South Afrcia’s Garrick Higgo showing a welcoming return to form in third place and countryman Dean Burmester in fourth.

It has been a long and painful journey for Hughes and, unsurprisingly, he was pretty emotional afterwards.

“It is difficult to put into words exactly how I am feeling right now,” he said. “I have worked so hard for this and it feels wonderful to finally get that second win under my belt.”

The pair headed to a playoff after Straka shot 5-under 67 in the final round. Straka’s round included birdies on four of his final five holes on the front nine. Hughes recorded a 3-under 69. He was even after eight holes and recorded three birdies and no bogeys in his final 10 holes.

On the first playoff hole, Straka found the green while Hughes’ ball came up in a bunker short of the green. He was able to get up and down from the sand, and Straka’s birdie missed just to the right of the cup.

On the second playoff hole, both players found the fairway, but Hughes stuck his approach shot tight. Straka’s approach leaked a bit long and left of the front left hole location, settling on the fringe. His putt again barely missed the cup, leaving the door open for Hughes to clinch the victory.

“Obviously I wanted to get the win, disappointed with that,” Straka said. “But I played really well today. I shot 67 on a Sunday, came from behind and got myself in a playoff. Mac played great, birdieing 18. 18 is not an easy hole. Yeah, happy for him, and looking forward to some more.”

Hughes hit a clutch par putt on the 16th hole to remain at 17 under as the final round winded down. Moments later, Straka had a birdie putt on the 18th come up short. Hughes missed a birdie putt on the 17th hole and got up and down for par on 18 to force the playoff.

It’s the second time in four starts Straka has lost in a playoff, including to Will Zalatoris on the third playoff hole at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first 2022 FedEx Cup Playoff event.

“Just more experience of getting myself in the hunt,” Straka said. “I think that’s huge, the kind of experience you can’t buy. It’s always the goal at the beginning of the week is on Sunday afternoon to have a chance, and I gave myself a chance. Unfortunately, it didn’t work out, but next time it will.”

“Honestly, I probably feel a little bit of a relief. It’s been a while,” Hughes said. “I’ve had some close calls. Finishing second, while it’s still great, it kind of stings when you’re that close. I just wasn’t going to accept that today.

“Somehow I was able to pull through, and it definitely feels a little sweeter than the first one.”

Who Is Mackenzie Hughes?

Hughes was born in Hamilton, Ontario in January 1990. He won the Canadian Amateur Championship in 2011 and 2012. He turned professional in 2012 and won his first event on the Canadian Tour the following year. He won the Canadian Tour order of merit in 2013 and graduated to the Korn Ferry Tour and qualified for the PGA Tour in 2016. In only his fifth start he won the RSM Classic in a five-man playoff. He finished second at the Honda Classic in 2020 and fifth at the US Open and tied sixth at The Open in 2021.

He began the week at the Sanderson Farms ranked 82nd in the world and 25th in the FedEx Cup standings.

Hughes averages 307.4 yards from the tee, hits 42.86% of fairways and 63.89% of greens in regulation. He gets up and down from the sand just 25% of the time and averages five birdies per round and 27.25 putts per round.

What's In Mackenzie Hughes' Bag?

Driver: Ping G425 LST (10.5 degrees @9.75)

Shaft: Graphite Design Tour AD DI 7 X

5-wood: Ping G425 MAX (17.5 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green 80 6.5 TX  

7-wood: Ping G425 MAX (20.5 degrees)

Shaft: Project X HZRDUS Smoke Green RDX 90 6.5 TX  

Irons: Ping i210 (4-6), S55 (7-PW)

Shaft: Project X 6.5

Wedges: Ping Glide 2.0 (52-SS, 56-WS, 60-TS)

Shaft: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400

Putter: Ping Scottsdale TR Piper C

Grips: Golf Pride Multi Compound Black/Blue 60R (+3RH, +2LH)

Ball: Titleist Pro V1