Even though Mackenzie Hughes is in Mississippi, her spirit is already in Montreal. Near the marshes, he is already thinking of the fall colors in the trees at Royal Montreal, where the next Presidents Cup will be held next year. And his entire season will be devoted to it.
“My goal is to play for Mike Weir and make the Presidents Cup team. »
This is what Hughes said during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon.
Hughes first met him in 2004, when he was volunteering at the Canadian Open. According to the 32-year-old, it was during that weekend that he first wanted to become a professional golfer.
At that time, Weir was a true hero, as he had won the Masters Tournament a year before. “We could come full circle at the Presidents Cup,” Hughes insists.
His desire to rub shoulders with Weir is such that in June, he suggested the possibility of trading his two victories on the PGA Tour circuit for a place on the team led by the left-hander.
Last weekend, the European team gave a 16 ½ to 11 ½ beating to the American team at the Ryder Cup in Italy.
Like all golf fans, Hughes watched the competition. In his case, it’s because by carving out a position on the international team, he could rub shoulders with several members of this American team next fall.
“The Americans had a fantastic team. When they put a team together, there is no real weakness, and I know it will be the same in Montreal in a year,” he maintains.
But Americans are fallible. And even if there are several of them at the top of the world rankings, it is possible to shake them in this type of competition. The dominance of Team Europe proved it.
“With the crowd getting involved and playing as a team, it’s possible to get this kind of result and beat these players. […] It’s good to know these guys can be beaten. »
In the meantime, although he speaks freely about his hopes, Hughes must play well enough next season to convince Weir to be one of the chosen ones.
And the new PGA Tour season will begin Thursday, as part of the Sanderson Farms Championship, in Jackson, Mississippi, where Hughes triumphed last year. “It was a dream start,” he remembers.
So he comes to the tournament with the intention of defending his title. And he will have to take advantage of the absence of the majority of big names to sneak into the last groups on Sunday afternoon.
He even finished the year ranked 51st in the FedEx Cup, one place shy of continuing his season in the playoffs.
“I hit a low point after the Masters,” he admits. I don’t really know why this happened. »
Hughes notably encountered difficulties in starting the various tournaments with confidence. These gaps on the tee shots were fatal on several occasions. However, it was thanks to his short game that he was able to be competitive. In fact, the closer he gets to the hole, the more comfortable the Canadian is.
However, to stand out at this level, it’s all about consistency. “I think I have a good understanding of what I have to do,” he says of the new season. Despite what I’ve done in the last six months, I don’t think I’ve ever felt better. »
Unlike other disciplines, the off season in golf is measured in days, not months. This is why Hughes needs to bounce back quickly. And that’s what he intends to do: “It doesn’t take me much time to transition and get back in the right direction. »
And for him, the right direction is the one pointing towards Île Bizard. Where he can not only play at home, but also make his dream come true.
