Mackenzie Hughes had plenty of motivation coming into the Sanderson Farms Championship.
Last week, he sat at his home in Charlotte, North Carolina, as the Presidents Cup was going on at the Quail Hollow Club across town. Hughes, the 31-year-old Canadian, didn’t make the International team, so he was forced to watch from home. He wanted to make sure he did whatever he could to make the team when the competition returns to Montreal in 2024.
He’s off to a great start.
Hughes beat Sepp Straka on the second playoff hole Sunday at The Country Club of Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi, to win the 2022 Sanderson Farms Championship. It’s the second career win for Hughes, who last won in 2016 at the RSM Classic. Both of Hughes’ Tour wins have come in playoffs.
Hughes jarred an 8-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to secure the win, giving a huge fist pump as the ball dropped in the cup.
The duo went to a playoff after finishing at 17 under. Straka shot a 5-under 67 in the final round. Straka’s round included birdies on four of his final five holes on the front nine. Hughes recorded a 3-under 69. He was even after eight holes and recorded three birdies and no bogeys in his final 10 holes.
On the first playoff hole, Straka found the green while Hughes’ ball came up in a bunker short of the green. He was able to get up and down from the sand, and Straka’s birdie missed just to the right of the cup.
Hughes hit a clutch par putt on the 16th hole to remain at 17 under. Moments later, Straka had a birdie putt on the 18th coming up short. Hughes missed a birdie putt on the 17th hole and got up and down for par on 18 to force the playoff.
It’s the second time in the past three months Straka has lost in a playoff, including to Will Zalatoris on the third playoff hole at the 2022 FedEx St. Jude Championship, the first 2022 FedEx Cup Playoff event.
Rookie Dean Burmester also shot a 5-under 67 on Sunday, finishing fourth. Defending champion Sam Burns, the highest-ranked player in the field, finished tied for 30th at 8 under.
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Story originally appeared on GolfWeek