	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

RBC CANADIAN OPEN

July 29, 2018

Mackenzie Hughes

Oakville, Ontario, Canada

MACKENZIE HUGHES: Talking to me right now, I would say I'm a little disappointed. Just because right at the end there, if I could have -- those par-5s coming in, they were both playing downwind, and if you're out here and playing with your buddies, you'd probably birdie them both. More tough when there is pressure. But, yeah, overall very satisfied with the week.

Again, wanted to get myself, after that front nine, it kind of got the crowd going, and I thought if I could keep the momentum going, I could at least post a number to scare Dustin. But ultimately just kind of ran out of steam. But, yeah, it's been a great week, and the support here has been tremendous.

Q. Obviously, you'd rather win the big trophy, but to take home two straight Rivermead Cups, and do you notice the swell of support increasing here year by year at Glen Abbey?
A. Yeah, Glen Abbey's been great to me. I played well my last eight rounds here. They've been really, really solid rounds. Yeah, I mean, the Rivermead Cup has history here in Canada, and if you're not going to win the big trophy, the Rivermead Cup is a pretty good consolation prize. The depth of talent in Canadian golf with 21 Canadians here this week, and not one guy in the field that was Canadian, you would say, oh, you've got no chance. But every one of those Canadian players are just so talented.

So, yeah, to come out on top of those guys feels good, and to have a great week is even better.

Q. (Indiscernible)?
MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, I mean, I know that a birdie on 18 and every shot coming in really meant a lot, because once you get up to the top 5, top 3 kind of echelon, the points really ramp up. I kind of sensed that opportunity coming in, and maybe got a little bit tight at the end. I don't leave that putt short ordinarily, so that's just me getting a bit tight. But, yeah. I've got two weeks left, and I'm trying to make a push for top 125, and next week hopefully I can keep building on it.

Q. Lot of pressure?
MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, for sure. It's tough. It's great to win in front of your home crowd, but also tough at the same time. You feel just a slight additional pressure put on you. But I relish it. It's been a great week. Yeah, looking forward to just building on it next week.

Q. So the next Canadian Open is coming up quicker than usual. How forward are you looking to that one, basically in your own backyard?
MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, it's crazy. In 2012 I wasn't really ready for it. But next year will be my third year on TOUR, and going to a place that I'm very familiar with, I'm really excited. There is obviously a lot of golf between here and then, but, yeah, it will be another dream come true for me.

Q. Being the top Canadian a couple times, it's going to be different for you than other Canadians next year. Does this help playing at this level in front of that kind of home crowd?
MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, just to kind of get sniffing around the lead here. I mean, I know Dustin's a little bit ahead, but if he was to have faltered and you were to have posted 18 or 19, which wasn't that out of the question, all of a sudden it looks like a pretty good chance.

But, yeah, next year will be additional pressure as well-being so close to home. But, again, it's only what you make of it, and if you just try to have fun with it, hopefully I'll have a great weekend next year.

Q. You look back on Friday, you talked about the par-5s. You look back and those are some strokes there on Thursday, Friday on the 5s?
MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, Thursday, Friday, being 1-under on the par-5s, I mean, if you're playing them normally, you're 4 or 5-under, and if you're playing them great, maybe you're a 6, 7. So tons of shots there. Even on the final round here, I only made one birdie. So just didn't quite have it on the par-5s, and if I played those a little bit cleaner, you never know what could have happened.

Q. What was it like walking up to the rink? It felt like a hockey crowd out there. How electric was it, and how did you like having the Canadian crowd on your side heading up to the 7th?
MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, I mean, the rink has been awesome. It's a great addition to this tournament. You kind of feel the additional support, I mean Tony Finau (Indiscernible), and people love Tony here. But the cheers for myself seemed to be just a hair notched up, which is pretty cool, and not something we experience very often. So, yeah, the rink has been awesome. I had some fun there this week with a chip in and handing out some Leafs jerseys. So, all in all, it was a fun week on number 7.

Q. They're going to bring it back for Hamilton next year, you're good with that, right?
MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, I'm not sure what par-3 they're going to use yet.

Q. I was going to ask you what your suggestion was?
MACKENZIE HUGHES: I think it's got to be 16 because 6 kind of goes down to the valley. I mean it's relatively flat. I mean, No. 8, another big dip. So I think it's got to be No. 16, but we'll see.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297