Players on the cusp at the Northern Trust
By Bill Felber
67. Mackenzie Hughes
Hughes suffered through a miserable May and early June, missing five cuts in the span of just six calendar weeks. He quietly found his bearings at the U.S. Open, tying for 15th, and followed that with an impressive tie for sixth at the British Open at Royal St. George’s.
That has fueled Hughes’ rise up the FedEx Cup standings. Stuck at 488 FedEx Cup points during that wasted May-June stretch, he has risen a dozen slots in the ensuing half dozen starts.
Hughes makes his money on and around the greens. He ranks 27th in Strokes Gained Putting, supporting that with an above-average chipping game.
His fortunes rise and fall – mostly fall – the farther Hughes gets from the green. At -0.346 and -0.298 respectively, he ranks 181st in Strokes Gained Off The Tee and 175th in Strokes Gained Approaching the Green.
Hughes is not a long-knocker, but he can go deep. On his way to a tie for 37th at the Wyndham, he averaged 311 yards off the tee. His average, though, is 20 yards less than that.
That tie for sixth at Royal St. Georges really kick-started Hughes’ season. It’s his best performance since coming home third at Corales Puntacana last September. But his recent consistency provides hope that he can hold his Top 70 position into the BMW.