Hughes drives for show, putts for — doh!

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This article was published 15/08/2011 (5458 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE mark of a champion is to turn the tide when the tide isn’t easy to turn.

The putting demons were in the head of Mackenzie Hughes late in the final 18 holes of the Canadian Amateur at Niakwa.

He needed three putts from 50 feet at the par-3 14th, after a sloppy tee shot.

He was just off the green in some dry, scruffy grass on the par-4 15th, again after a long and poor approach, and needed three with the putter to get down.

Then just inches over the back on the par-4 16th and slightly above the hole, a timid first putt led to two more and suddenly a three-shot lead had changed into a tie with defending champion Albin Choi of Toronto with just two holes to go.

Both players were at nine-under-par standing on the 17th tee, when Hughes changed the momentum, starting with a dead straight tee shot on the driveable par-4. (Officials moved the tee well up on Sunday from the carded 332 yards.)

Asked what he was thinking when the potential calamity was building, Hughes replied: “To be quite honest, it was ‘What are you doing? You’re giving it away.’ I just said on 17, ‘Alright, make a birdie, it’s driveable, just forget the last three holes.’ And I was able to do it.”

His drive ran through the green and he chipped back and about 10 feet past the flag.

“I just wanted to hit a solid putt,” he said. “I said, ‘You can do this, you’ve done it hundreds of times before on the practice green.’ It was left edge and I hit it solid. It kind of caught the right edge but bottom of the hole at the end of the day.”

Hughes said there was no doubt in his mind he’d be taking driver at No. 17.

“No, no, driver every time. And I actually hit it over the green. It flew on the front and that’s also adrenaline. But I was very happy to make birdie on 17.”

Choi had one last opportunity at the par-4 18th, but couldn’t put a short-iron close from 142 yards.

Hughes, from 138, landed safely on the left side and lagged his first putt to within inches. Choi wound up three-putting after it didn’t matter, putting a two-shot win into the books for Hughes.

“On 18, I was expecting Albin to make birdie, but he fought really hard today,” Hughes said.

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Markham top Manitoban

THE three (of 20) Manitoba players to make the cut at the Canadian Amateur didn’t reap any big rewards over the weekend.

Niakwa’s Scott Markham had the best finish on his home course, moving to 19th with a weekend of 71-71. He was two-over 286 for the championship.

Clubmate Todd Fanning was T38, plus-seven, after 72-75, while Southwood’s Adrian Kibsey finished T52 at plus-11 on a weekend of 74-76.

tim.campbell@freepress.mb.ca