[mm-video type=video id=01f8kqchkbd78ndxgr9q playlist_id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=none image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01f8kqchkbd78ndxgr9q/01f8kqchkbd78ndxgr9q-d95162f8526b298337326d8f933b751a.jpg]
SAN DIEGO – It lacked the fist-pumping reaction of Tiger Woods, but everything else about Mackenzie Hughes’ 63-foot eagle bomb at the par-5 13th was shades of Tiger on Saturday at the 2008 U.S. Open.
“I know Tiger was further right (in 2008), this putt was going right to left…the charge through your body when the ball goes into the hole and the crowd goes wild is kind of why we play,” Hughes told NBC’s Steve Sands after the round. “I’m getting goosebumps just thinking about it.”
That wasn’t the only goosebump-inducing moment for Hughes. The 30-year-old Canadian rode a back-nine 32 at Torrey Pines’ South Course to a share of the 54-hole U.S. Open lead with Russell Henley and Louis Oosthuizen. Hughes has missed the cut in six of his eight previous appearances in majors and has never finished better than T-40. Doesn’t matter – he’s got a tee time in the final group on Sunday at the 121st U.S. Open.
“You get goosebumps thinking about it, so I know I’m going to be nervous tomorrow,” he said. “I essentially played today around the lead all day. I think I was only ever a few back the entire day, so it felt – I think it’ll feel different tomorrow being in that last group, but you do the same things. You mentally tell yourself the same things, and I’ll be referencing my yardage book and my notes a lot. But yeah, I’m going to try and enjoy it lots, and yeah, embrace the moment.”
Hughes has one victory to his credit on the PGA Tour, and enjoyed his best season in 2019 when he finished in the top-30 in the FedEx Cup standings. His recent form has paled in comparison. He entered the week having missed his last five cuts.
“You kind of wonder when you’re going to get it back on track, going the right way, and so I got to Saturday, today, and just felt like, OK, the hard work is kind of done for me. I’m going to go have some fun and play golf.”
What else does he attribute his turnaround to this week? He moved his ball position forward and started hitting predominantly a cut. That and a couple of mental keys that he didn’t care to divulge have righted the ship and lifted his spirits.
“It’s really easy to get down and to be negative and to pout and feel bad for yourself, but I’ve been trying to do the hard thing, which is to be positive, glass half full, optimistic, looking for the progress, and that’s kind of a little bit what I’ve been working on,” he said.
It has finally paid dividends this week. Hughes signed for a 3-under 68 after getting up-and-down for birdie from a greenside bunker on the par-5 18th.
Is there any better slump-buster than winning a major? On Sunday, Hughes will have the chance of a lifetime.
[lawrence-related id=778111625,778111600,778111596]