18 Things: Mackenzie Hughes and Corey Conners

Corey Conners’ grandparents recognized the artist and the painting, and they had to have it.

Three young boys, golf bags hoisted on their shoulders, walking across a bridge at Listowel Golf Club. Conners was in the lead while Mackenzie Hughes, wearing a white cap, was walking alongside Brian, the son of the woman who had painted the picture from a photo she took.

“You can really tell who’s who, just based on our posture,” Conners says. “We were carrying our clubs and I'm a little bit hunched over. Mac's standing a little bit taller from what I can remember.

“But I think if we were to recreate that picture, we'd kind of be in the same sort of pose.”

Fortunately, Conners and Hughes now have caddies to do the heavy lifting. But the friendship that began during that tournament at Conners’ home course in Ontario when he was 12 and Hughes was 13 has endured for nearly two decades and followed them to the PGA TOUR.

“It's pretty cool to, like, sit back and really appreciate where we came from, but also where we are now,” says Conners, who is playing in the RBC Canadian Open this week. “It's very, very satisfying and it's even more special to be able to share that with a close friend and someone have a lot of respect for.”

Hughes, who is also competing at St. George’s Golf and Country Club this week, made it to the PGA TOUR a year before Conners. He knows the odds were against the two boys who grew up 75 miles from each other idolizing countryman Mike Weir and the legendary Tiger Woods. After all, lots of kids have big dreams, but in reality only a few make it to the game’s highest level.

Hughes and Conners, however, took advantage of the support and instruction they received as members of the Canadian National Team, as well as at Kent State. That coupled with their own sweat equity and desire have taken them on an incredible journey.

“For two kids that grew up and trained together and came from small towns in Ontario to both be finding some pretty good success on the PGA TOUR and to do it together is really quite extraordinary,” Hughes says. “But that's why you dream big, and you work hard."

“So yeah, it was really cool. Like the moment I found out he was getting his card and I was already out there, it was hard to fathom really. And when we walk the fairways of Augusta and do cool things together like go to the Olympics, it’s really kind of pinch-yourself stuff.”

Their friendship grew during those developmental camps held by the Canadian National Team. From sun-up to sun-down, the kids would play and practice golf, taking breaks for meals and meetings with instructors and trainers. But there was time for fun, too – like the chipping and putting and long-drive competitions where the team members would keep their cumulative scores in hopes of winning the coveted camp belt.

“Our coach Derek Ingram had made up this like kind of knock-off of a wrestling belt,” Hughes recalls. “It looked just like one of the ones that they would win in a WWE cage match or whatever.”

“It said Golf Canada and Camp Champ on it,” Conners adds. “So, I was the holder of that for quite a while. I seemed to do pretty well with those training sessions and training camps. So yeah, that was definitely pretty fun.”

Hughes, on the other hand, had already confided that he was never able to win the belt. “I should have kept my mouth shut, but, yeah, that's probably something else that he'll now have over me,” Hughes says with a laugh.

During down time at the camps, the two teenagers bonded over their shared love of sports – particularly hockey and the Toronto Maple Leafs. And when Hughes, a two-time Canadian Amateur champ who was two years ahead in school, decided to attend Kent State, that became Conners’ goal, too.

“That was like the nail in the coffin for me,” Conners says. “I wanted to go there. … It was great to have someone that I knew, and a really good player, there, as well.”

Their games rose to an elite level at Kent State. Conners remembers once trying to qualify for the U.S. Amateur with Hughes and Taylor Pendrith, another Canadian and Golden Flash teammate who also plays on TOUR now. The trio drove from Ontario to the qualifying site in Ohio.

“There were only two spots,” Conners recalls. “Unfortunately, I was the odd man out that year. We finished first, second and third. We were on an amateur budget, and I remember staying in a bit of a frightening hotel. I think it was like 30 bucks. So, there are a lot of cool memories like that.”

Among the others? The 2012 World Amateur Team Championships in Turkey where Conners remembers a steamed fish - eyes and all - staring up at them from the buffet table. “It frightened us quite a lot,” he says with a chuckle. “But being in kind of a foreign place, it was pretty cool.”

Teaming together at the 2020 Olympics was another highlight for the two Canadians, even though the COVID protocols and one-year delay affected the experience.

“To do that together to represent Canada on the highest stage to me that was probably the coolest thing we've done together,” Hughes says. “I'll always have that to draw on and a memory to look back on that I think will never really get old.”

“It was amazing to be able to share that experience with him,” Conners agrees. “I think we're both really motivated to get back just with all the restrictions and not being able to go to any other events or do other things. … Representing Canada with him -- that was definitely a special moment.”

The first highlight on TOUR was the 2017 RSM Classic where Hughes outlasted Blayne Barber, Billy Horschel, Camilo Villegas and Henrik Norlander in a playoff that ended on Monday. It was Hughes’ fifth start as a TOUR member. Conners had just finished his season on PGA TOUR Latinoamerica and was headed to the Korn Ferry Tour.

“That was a big motivation for me,” Conners says. “It was pretty sweet to see him win. I flew back to the States, and I was trying to find a way to get up and get up to Sea Island from the Jupiter area to see if I could see him play, but it just didn't end up working out.”

Ten months later, Conners earned his TOUR card at the Korn Ferry Tour finals and joined Hughes in Napa, California, for what is now called the Fortinet Championship. All too quickly, it was back to business.

“We would've loved to (celebrate), but there's just really no time,” Hughes recalls. “You get your card at the (Korn Ferry) finals and then the very next week you're playing Napa. … I know we had dinner and kind of celebrated the achievement, but it's not as if we're flying to Vegas for a weekend and having a bender.”

The two friends are playing well again this year. Conners, who won the 2019 Valero Texas Open, ranks 35th in the FedExCup while Hughes is 41st. Hughes was second at The RSM Classic while Conners beat former world No. 1 Dustin Johnson in the consolation match at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play to finish third.

Not to mention, the two are in good position to make their debuts at another global event this fall at the Presidents Cup. Conners ranks eighth in the International Team standings while Hughes, who lives in Charlotte where the biennial event will be played at Quail Hollow in September, is No. 12.

The practice rounds and dinners the two have shared over the years are too many to count. And now the entourage often includes their growing families -- Mackenzie and Jenna have two sons, Kenton and Cohen, while Corey and Malory’s daughter, Reis, was born last fall.

“They've taught us a lot,” Conners says. “… Jenna's really organized, and she's given us a lot of great tips about from the beginning where to stay and what events are better family-wise. … When we had our little girl Reis she was talking with Mal and made a list of all the items we needed to travel with.

“We've learned a lot from them about being organized with the kids and their two boys are amazing. They are fun to hang out with and they're growing up quickly.”

Just like those two kids who met at Listowel Golf Club.

PGATOUR.COM usually asks the wives to tell us 18 things we don’t know about their husbands. This time, the long-time friends Hughes and Conners do the honors.

“Corey sleeps more than anyone I have met. He can go to bed at 8 p.m., wake up, go practice, come home for a two-hour nap and then right back to bed at 8 p.m. Very jealous of his sleep schedule but we joke that he’s on the same schedule as his daughter Reis.” - Hughes

“Mac will not eat anything chocolate.” - Conners

“Corey loves to construct things and be handy. One time he was staying at my house and my wife was giving me the nudge to put some outdoor furniture together. He basically led me out to the garage and was excited to start putting it together. I wasn’t but I was happy to have a helping hand.” - Hughes

“Mac splurged on a new TV after winning his first PGA TOUR event.” - Conners

“Corey is the fastest eater I have ever seen. In college, our coach used to make him put his fork down and breathe. It’s hilarious.” - Hughes

“Mac loves Toronto sports, especially the Maple Leafs.” - Conners

“He’s fast at everything he does, and he always has his next step planning out. He’s always going somewhere or doing something. But he’s productive and efficient.” - Hughes

“Mac has an incredibly big appetite. He once ate over a dozen breadsticks from Olive Garden with his full meal.” - Conners

“It’s been documented that Corey is an amazing cook but that’s partly because he loves to eat. He can eat more than anyone I’ve ever seen.” - Hughes

“Mac spent a long time getting his now wife Jenna to go out with him at Kent State.” - Conners

“Corey knows how to do a lot of things and is also super knowledgeable on a lot of subjects. If you spend time with him, you always learn a lot.” - Hughes

“Mac was into curling and hockey as a youngster growing up in Canada during the winter.” - Conners

“At Kent State, every Friday we would run at our field house. I was a pretty good runner. I could run a mile in about 5:30 but I was always chasing Corey. He was a flat 5 and I could never really sniff him.” - Hughes

“Mac could be convinced to do almost anything for money.” - Conners

“Corey has a very composed and stoic demeanor on the golf course, but when he’s around people he knows well and he’s comfortable, he can be pretty funny. People don’t get to see that often but it’s awesome.” - Hughes

“Mac is very competitive and difficult to beat in any challenge.” - Conners

“There isn’t a problem that Corey doesn’t think he can solve. There have been so many times that I think there’s no chance of something working, and he finds a way to get it done. He’s so smart and loves to think his way out of difficult situations. It’s not just his golf game that looks easy and effortless, it seems to be just about anything that he does.” - Hughes

“Mac is a great dad to his two boys but he’s a big kid himself who loves to goof around.” - Conners