Over the two playoff holes it was the putter that ultimately proved the difference between Mackenzie Hughes and Sepp Straka, as Hughes took his opportunity to win whilst Straka didn’t.
It had been a day where chances were slim and, when Hughes got up-and-down at the last hole to force a playoff with the Austrian, it was the 31-year-old who secured the trophy, his first since the 2016 RSM Classic, as Hughes holed a short birdie putt to win a second time on the PGA Tour.
“I kept telling myself all week that I was going to do it (win),” explained Hughes, who picked up his first victory in just under six years. “That’s all I saw in my mind and this win definitely felt harder than the first one, that’s for sure!
“Words can’t describe it. I’ve been working so hard and putting in the hours and it feels so good. To see my family walk on the green, I’ve been envisaging that moment since I had my first boy. It’s the coolest thing in the world and when you win it’s always super special.”
.@MacHughesGolf knew it was good 💪 pic.twitter.com/PuEynTjJQjOctober 2, 2022
Beginning the final day it was Mark Hubbard who led by one, with the American holding a one shot lead over Hughes and a three shot advantage on Straka, Garrick Higgo and Scott Stallings.
But, in a final round where no one seemed to take charge of proceedings at the Sanderson Farms Championship, we saw the scores still tied at the top as players headed to the back nine. Hughes did momentarily take the lead, but Straka battled back to overtake him with a handful of holes remaining.
It was still anyone’s to take and, when Straka parred in his last three holes, the Austrian set the clubhouse target of 17-under-par. Waiting for the final groups to finish, it was Hughes who rivalled him, as the Canadian made a gutsy up-and-down at the 72nd hole to force a playoff.
The playoff defeat was Straka’s second in a row, after losing to Will Zalatoris at the FedEx St Jude Invitational
(Image credit: Getty Images)
As both parred the first playoff hole, it was advantage Hughes with the second shots on the second…
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