Mackenzie Hughes fueled by ‘majorly disappointing’ Presidents Cup omission

Even though Mackenzie Hughes was left off the International Team, he knew exactly what was happening at last September’s Presidents Cup.

Because he only lives 10 minutes away.

“I could essentially hear the roars down the street,” admitted Hughes. “I can’t even hide it. I can’t even say it was ‘ever-so-slightly’ disappointing. It was majorly disappointing.”

Hughes bounced back with aplomb, however. The week after the Presidents Cup, he won the Sanderson Farms Championship in a playoff for his second PGA TOUR title, becoming the eighth Canadian with multiple TOUR wins.

Hughes knows he could have earned a spot on the International Team as an automatic qualifier, but he didn’t. He feels there was a fair case for him to be on the team, but he wasn’t. That’s motivation now.

“We’ll have that taken care of next time,” said Hughes.

Regardless of falling short of joining his first Presidents Cup team, the affable Canadian, now 32 and a father of three (he and wife Jenna have two sons, Kenton and Cohen, and a newborn daughter, Ellie Mae) is hitting his stride on the PGA TOUR as a constant performer and inspirational star in his home country. Not only that, but this week’s Wells Fargo Championship is a home game for Hughes as a newly minted member at Quail Hollow Club.

Jenna has been along for the ride since the duo was in college at Kent State. They met while completing an extra-credit project for a business class as freshmen. Jenna, who hails from upstate New York, beams when talking about the pair’s “forever home” that’s currently being built near the North Carolinian club. Her husband is more of a mature golfer these days than in college, a trait she has seen evolve firsthand. His hard-working nature is incredibly impressive, too. Oftentimes Hughes will complete a workout late at night, after the kids have gone to sleep. He’ll spend two hours at the golf course between dinner and bedtime to squeeze in some work before returning to help around the house.

From Jenna’s vantage point, that attitude pivot comes from a realization that life is, well, pretty good. There’s no real point in getting angry and spending hours and hours on his craft these days – especially with all he’s already accomplished on the course.

“The confidence he’s gained by winning twice – both in playoffs – has helped out mentally. He knows he’s capable of winning,” said Jenna. “I think over the past five years especially, each kid, in my eyes, is more motivation for him. He’ll be the first to tell you that when he won (the Sanderson Farms), the first thing he thought of was (the Masters) with all the kids coming out for the Par 3 Contest.

“It makes us all super proud.”

The Presidents Cup omission was a disappointment for both of them, Jenna said, but she’s a firm believer that everything happens for a reason.

“If he wasn’t selected, I don’t know if Sanderson Farms would have been what it was,” she said.

The International Team lost to the United States, 17.5-12.5, with Hughes’ countrymen Corey Conners and Taylor Pendrith finishing a disappointing 0-8 for the week. The International Team trailed, 8-2, after the first two sessions, but outscored the U.S. Team the rest of the way, 10.5-9.5, a spirited comeback that International Team captain Trevor Immelman attributed to improved putting. He was convinced, pre-event, that putting would be the difference and it was exactly that. The Americans gained 28 strokes on the greens at Quail Hollow, while the International Team gained just five.

Hughes has been one of the TOUR’s best on the greens over the last few seasons and was 14th in Strokes Gained: Putting for the 2021-22 campaign. Whether adding him to the team would have made a definitive difference is up for debate, but the short-game stats were in his favor.

“Trevor’s right,” said 2024 International Team captain Mike Weir with a laugh. “We needed a few more putts to go in at Quail Hollow, and Mac is a great putter. We want guys who can putt well. There were a couple of 5- or 6-footers that could tie a hole or win a hole that are huge.”

Although Hughes’ potential debut in the Presidents Cup will have to wait until home soil at Royal Montreal in 2024 (what a week that could be), the two-time TOUR winner looks back on his career to this point fondly. Sure, there’s a part of him that wishes he could have done more – such is golf – but he’s happy with what he has accomplished.

Hughes was in the final group Sunday at the 2021 U.S. Open and finished tied for 15th before notching a tie for sixth at The Open Championship the following month, his career-best major showing.

This season, he built on his Sanderson Farms victory with a spirited run at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play and eventual tie for fifth. He finished tied for 29th at the Masters, his best result there, after a solid second-round 69 that propelled him inside the cut line after an opening-round 76.

Hughes has been in the mix on the big stages, and there’s gratification with seeing results after putting in work – work that was meant to help him get to those big moments. He continues to take inspiration from Tiger Woods (he’s played twice with his childhood idol and the duo have a 1-1 record) and how impressive it was to see Woods win as often as he did.

“The guys that win a ton, I think how incredible that is. I think back to how many five-win seasons Tiger had to get to 82 wins (on TOUR); he’s on that level so many times and it’s just unbelievable,” said Hughes. “To a much smaller extent, that’s what we’re trying to do. Be there more often, get the job done more often.”

Amongst the Canadians, there’s a tidy battle for the top spot in the FedExCup standings, with four inside the top 30 this season. Hughes is third amongst his countrymen there, just 14 points behind Adam Svensson (who won The RSM Classic in November). Hughes is the No. 3-ranked Canadian on the Official World Golf Ranking at No. 57 overall, behind only Conners (No. 30) and Svensson (No. 56).

Earlier this year marked the first time in history there were five Canadians inside the top 100 on the world ranking. Although Brooke Henderson continues to rewrite the record books as the country’s top golfer (Hughes has long followed her successes with great admiration and would be keen to play alongside her at The Grant Thornton Invitational later this year), the healthy battle on the men’s side is equal parts inspiring and fun.

Earlier in April, for example, Hughes was at home when he saw Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor fire a final-round 63 in Foursomes at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, matching the event’s alternate-shot record en route to a runner-up finish.

“The fact that Nick’s jumped ahead of me in the FedExCup … I was top Canadian and now I’m not. There’s stuff like that. My job is to get ahead of him and stay on top,” said Hughes. “It’s definitely motivating but in a fun way.

“I’m not rooting for Corey to miss the next 10 cuts. I want Corey to play great because there’s a friendly camaraderie. He’d say the same thing. He wants me to play well … but beat me by one.”

The heaping handful of Canadians playing well might make things tricky for Weir as he heads the home-country squad at Royal Montreal.

“He’s told me he’s very motivated to make the team,” said Weir of Hughes. “He’d be a great addition because we want guys that want to be on that team. And he’s definitely one of those guys.”

“Maybe that should be the strategy for Montreal. Just pick all the Canadians,” Jenna Hughes said with a laugh.

Mackenzie Hughes would have no problem with that.

He’s at home this week for the Wells Fargo Championship. In the past he’s had his countrymen over for a backyard barbecue. Maybe they’ll do the same this year and cheer on the Ontario guys’ beloved Toronto Maple Leafs. Last year’s Presidents Cup omission is in the rear-view mirror now. Hughes has another win on TOUR, another baby at home, and plenty more reasons to be happy.

“When I sit down and look at the body of work, if someone had told this to me seven years ago when I was just starting on TOUR, when there was uncertainty and no job security, I think I would have probably taken it,” said Hughes, “but then there’s a part of me that says I’m also wanting more.”