Only Canadian to make the cut, Mackenzie Hughes encouraged by Masters performance

AUGUSTA, Ga. – Mackenzie Hughes was in one of the final groups on Sunday at the Masters.

And although he finished on the opposite side of the course as Jon Rahm, who won by four shots over Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka, Hughes was thrilled with the way he put a bow on the first major of the year.

The only Canadian to make the cut at Augusta National finished tied for 29th – his best-career result at the Masters – after a final-round 70.

Hughes, who started on the second nine, made a birdie on the par-5 13th but was then a victim of one of Augusta National’s most slippery greens on No. 15. The two-time PGA Tour winner flipped a wedge that landed pin high, but it spun back and kept rolling and rolling – all the way into the water. Hughes made double bogey. He also made bogey on the par-4 17th before making the turn.

Then Hughes put the pedal down.

He roasted a fairway wood to about 15 feet on the par-5 2nd and rolled in the eagle (he earned his first piece of Augusta National crystal for that) before knocking his tee ball on the par-3 4th to 18 inches en route to another second-nine birdie.

He added birdies on Nos. 7 and 8 before closing with a disappointing bogey on the par-4 9th. He finished at 1 over for the week after rounds of 76-69-74-70.

“Honestly, a Sunday show around Augusta,” said Hughes. “Lots of good things in my game too that I'm encouraged about. Saw some things around this place that give me hope that one day I can slip on one of those jackets maybe.”

Hughes played two tournament rounds with Green Jacket winners this week – his third round with Fred Couples and the finale with Zach Johnson – plus a practice round Tuesday with Mike Weir.

He said he pulled plenty from those Masters champions and hopes he can install some of their strategies to his own game at Augusta National moving forward.

“It also kind of gives me some hope […] and nothing against those guys, but I feel like, if those guys can do it, then I also believe that I can as well,” said Hughes.

The Canadian finished about an hour prior to the final group, with the rest of the field going off on split tees for the final round in order to get all of the golf in after weather caused a suspension of play Saturday. The fact that he was on the “wrong side of the golf course” was most evident after his impressive tee-ball on No. 4.

The only people left cheering were the half-dozen or so family members Hughes had following him for his second-nine charge.

“I thought it could have gone in, and a couple little small claps. I'm like I just did a 5-iron from 222 to like a foot and a half. That one was pretty sweet,” said Hughes with a smile. “It was weird being on that side of the course. Obviously, it was still fun, but […] It was a bit bitter-sweet being on the front nine. But that's how we rolled this week.”

Now Hughes is hoping he can build off plenty of positives this week to hopefully get on the right side of the draw late on a Sunday at the Masters.

“I just feel like going forward,” Hughes said, “this is a place that I could win at.”