Apr 1, 2019
Hughes taking positives from second-place finish
A change in perspective helped the Canadian secure his best finish on the PGA Tour since his victory in the 2017 RSM Classic, Bob Weeks writes.
By Bob Weeks
The result was welcome but if the truth be told, Mackenzie Hughes can’t help but think about just missing out on his second PGA Tour victory rather than his runner-up finish.
Hughes posted a tie for second at the Corales Puntacana Resort & Club Championship after a final-round 66.
“It’s a nice result,” he said, “but as a competitor when you get down to the final hole with a chance to win you want to get it done. I’m still going to take a lot of positives from this though.”
Hughes started the day four shots off the lead but closed quickly going five under through his first 10 holes. He got to within a shot of the lead on 18, a brutally tough par 4, but ended up with a bogey that eventually left him one stroke behind winner Graeme McDowell.
It’s Hughes’ best finish since his victory in the 2017 RSM Classic and comes after a run of sluggish play. The Dundas, Ont.-native missed four cuts consecutively before posting a tie for 13th at the Valspar Championship two weeks ago.
What’s turned his game around has more to do with what’s going on in his head than his swing.
“After you miss a few cuts, it’s easy to doubt yourself and then the self-talk goes the wrong way,” he stated. “You start looking at the glass half empty instead of half full. I really have been playing the exact same when I was missing four cuts as this week.”
Looking at the good things in his play rather than beating himself up has shifted perspective for the 28-year-old. He did also credit some hard work he’s put in on the greens in the off-season. Being more comfortable with the putter has taken pressure off the rest of his game. For the week, he was third in putts per green in regulation, averaging 1.588.
Hughes will tee it up again this week at the Valero Texas Open. In addition to another opportunity to earn that second victory, it’s a chance to grab the last spot into the field at the Masters. And the two-time Canadian Amateur champ got a little encouragement from a past Masters winner in that regard.
“Mike [Weir] sent me a text congratulation me on the second-place and told me to keep it going,” Hughes revealed. “I said thanks and hopefully I’ll see you in a week in Augusta.”
If Hughes keeps playing as he did in the Dominican Republic, there’s a definite possibility he could be making the drive down Magnolia Lane.