THE 149TH OPEN

July 15, 2021

Mackenzie Hughes

Mixed Zone

Q. Nice playing out there. You got on a nice run on the front nine. Talk us through that round.

MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, felt pretty good about it. I got off to a nice start, lots of good shots. Hitting a of lot fairways, which around here you hit a bunch of fairways it's making your life a lot easier.

Yeah, just felt good from the getgo. Had nice control of the golf ball. I had a playing partner in Brian Harman that got off to a really hot start, and I think that kind of helped me get my mindset in the right place with trying to make some birdies and knowing they were out there if you hit some good shots.

All in all, it was a great day. Not maybe the finish I would've liked, but all in all if you told me I was going to shoot 4-under today I would've taken it in a heartbeat.

Q. Got to be one of the groups of the day. Were you pushing each other on out there with your birdies?

MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, definitely. Kind of had an awareness there. Walking off 17 I thought, Wow, this is quite the group. We were all 4-under and Brian birdied the last, so I don't think there will be a group that will really come close to that probably.

Yeah, it was fun. Like I said, it was easier to get going because of the guys in my group that were playing well and just kind of feeding off each other. Fun day.

Q. It's your debut at the Open Championship. How does it feel to be playing here this week at Royal St Georges?

MACKENZIE HUGHES: Yeah, I was really excited for link golf and the challenge this presents to you. You have to just hit shots. There is not a lot of driving range type shots where you just stand out there and hit a normal shot.

A lot of kind of manipulation and creativity involved. Holding the wind, riding the wind. So I'm just -- I feel like I do along in this setting, but yeah, making my debut and Royal St George's has been a real treat so far.