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TSN Senior Reporter

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Mackenzie Hughes knows what it likes to be on the bubble in the FedEx Cup playoffs.

Last year, his season came down to a nervy, curling eight-foot downhill putt. He drained it, advanced to the Tour Championship, and collected all the rewards that came with it.

Starting the playoffs in 52nd spot and moving inside the top 30 with one putt was as clutch as clutch can get.

This year, he has the same mission. Hughes begins this edition of the playoffs at the Northern Trust in 67th position. The top 125 that start this week will be whittled down to 70 for next week’s BMW Championship before just 30 move on to the Tour Championship.

“It’s nice to know that I’ve done it before,” said Hughes, reflecting on his run last year. “It doesn’t have any real bearing on what will happen this year, but it was fun to do it when I needed to do it and at least I have that experience.”

Hughes has enjoyed a solid season on the PGA Tour, highlighted by his performance in the U.S. Open, where he was in final group on the last day, and the Open Championship, where he ended up tied for sixth. He also represented Canada in the Olympics in Tokyo.

His spot on the FedEx Cup points list is somewhat precarious, sitting just inside the cutoff for next week’s tournament, but he is confident with where his game is at.

“I feel good,” he stated. “I don’t have any expectations on myself. I know I’m in a little bit of a bubble situation, which is a week earlier than I would have liked, but I’m just hoping to play well and work myself into that top 30.”

The Dundas, Ont., product is 34 points up on Bubba Watson who sits in 71st position. This week the point values are quadrupled, so the potential for lots of movement is there. However, just six players managed to move into the top 70 last  year.

Hughes also knows that worrying about the jumble of numbers that will occur as soon as play begins on Thursday won’t help his game.

“There are different feelings for different guys,” he said. “The guys at 50th or 40th really aren’t worried about this week. From 60th on down, you just really have to play well. But I’m just preparing the same way I do every week.”

Hughes is one of four Canadians in the field. Corey Conners is in the best position, sitting in 28th spot. Roger Sloan, who finished tied for second last week, and Adam Hadwin, who as tied for 10th, come in at 92nd and 96th respectively.

Hughes will begin the tournament at 12:11 EDT alongside Shane Lowry and Martin Laird.