Mackenzie Hughes wins the Sanderson Farms Championship

Jackson, Mississippi Mackenzie Hughes never questioned his ability to take home the Sanderson Farms Championship, whether it was due to his unwavering confidence or extraordinary tenacity. He simply had no idea how things would develop on Sunday night.

In order to defeat Sepp Straka of Vienna, Austria, on the second playoff hole and claim his second PGA Tour title, Mackenzie Hughes, a golfer from Hamilton, Ontario, had to sink six crucial putts over the course of the final seven holes, four of which were for par.

That much is certain: The second one seemed far more difficult than the first,” Hughes added.

The 31-year-old Canadian who is known for his putter finally made a birdie on the 18th hole at the Country Club of Jackson on his third attempt, sinking an 8-footer to secure the victory.

The par-5 14th’s 15-footer, the 16th’s 7-foot putt after he couldn’t get to the green from a fairway bunker, and two difficult par saves on the 18th hole from 100 feet behind the green in regulation and from a bunker on the first playoff hole were all pars,

That was the only image I had in my head, according to Hughes. “I was basically trying to will the ball into the hole” after making those par-saving putts late in the round.

After making his first par save on the 18th hole, Hughes recorded a 3-under 69 to tie Straka, who played two groups ahead of him and shot 67 to finish at 17-under 271.

Before Hughes hit the winning putt on the second playoff hole, Straka missed from 18 feet on the edge. It was Straka’s second playoff loss in his previous four competitions. The other occurred at the beginning of the PGA Tour postseason versus Will Zalatoris.

Straka

Straka, who won his first PGA Tour championship earlier this year at the Honda Classic, said, “I played decent golf on a challenging Sunday. “In this place, it’s crucial to offer yourself chances to succeed. You’ll feel more at ease the more you can do it.

It had been six years since Hughes’ lone triumph at Sea Island, which also came in a playoff.

I was “fighting like hell to stay in it,” Hughes claimed. Although it’s good to come in second place, it kind of stinks when you’re that close. Today, I just wasn’t going to tolerate it.

Hughes was unhappy that he was left off of the international team in Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he resides, one week after the Presidents Cup. That certainly served as the inspiration he was looking for.

South African Garrick Higgo, who shot a 68, came in third.

By getting up and down for birdies on the reachable par-4 15th and the challenging par-5 14th, Straka seized the lead. The remainder of the day, he had to make do with pars.

Hughes still had those scoring opportunities to take, and he almost lost them. He was in the wrong spot off the tee on the fourteenth hole, his wedge shot over a tree back into the fairway came up short in a bunker, he had to lay up once more, and he only managed to make par with a 15-foot putt.

On the last hole, he missed the green to the right of the grandstand by punching way left off the tee and beneath a tree. He utilised his putter from 100 feet away off the green with amazing timing to reach 3 feet after receiving free relief.

Hughes missed the pin on the opening playoff hole at the 18th when there was just a little distance from the bunker’s edge to it. He made par after driving out to five feet.

They were forced to play the 18th again as a result, and Hughes defeated him.

Mark Hubbard, who had a one-shot lead going into the final round, made just two birdies in his round of 74 and finished tied for seventh.

Five players shared at least a part of the lead during the final round. This featured Emiliano Grillo of Argentina, whose round was ruined when he made a triple bogey on the par-5 14th without taking a penalty shot.

Although Higgo lingered all day and missed an 8-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole, which eventually prevented him from making the playoff, he was never in the lead.