"This one means a little more"- Mackenzie Hughes hopes to follow up Nick Taylor’s win, take victory on home ground at the RBC Canadian Open

Canadian golfer Mackenzie Hughes is following up with Nick Taylor to win his hometown's ongoing RBC Canadian Open. Last year, Taylor became the first Canadian to win the PGA Tour event since Pat Fletcher in 1954.

Taylor broke the drought in 2023, bringing the RBC Canadian Open trophy home. In 2024, fans have high hopes for Mackenzie Hughes as he enters the final round of the RBC Canadian Open, just four strokes behind leader Robert MacIntyre.

Following the third round of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open, Hughes discussed his performance with CBS host Amanda Balionis. He appreciated Nick Taylor for breaking the long-standing drought last year and expressed optimism about his chances of winning this week. Hughes said:

"I wouldn't say the pressure's off. It's certainly nice to see a Canadian break that drought, but now I'm kind of focused on my own individual week and winning my own Canadian hoping, I guess. So, to me, there's still quite a bit of nerves and excitement trying to do it myself. And obviously, for me, being so close to home here in Hamilton, this one means a little more to me," he said (at 0:15).

It is important to note that the Canadian Open is one of the oldest PGA Tour events, starting in 1904. The 2024 edition began at Hamilton Golf Course on Thursday, May 30. Hughes, who was born in Hamilton, Ontario, hopes to win the event in his birthplace.

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When will Mackenzie Hughes tee off on Sunday at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open?

Mackenzie Hughes will tee off for the final round of the 2024 RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, June 2, on the first tee hole of the Hamilton Golf Course. He will start his game at 2:15 p.m. ET in a group with Ryan Fox.

Meanwhile, tournament leader Robert MacIntyre will tee off with Ben Griffin at 2:25 p.m. ET. The fourth round will start at 8:25 a.m. ET with Erik Barnes, followed by Akshay Bhatia and Kevin Tway, who will tee off at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Hughes began the tournament with an impressive round of 69, recording three birdies and just two bogeys. It was a moving day for the Canadian golfer on Friday as he fired a round of 6-under 64, making five birdies, two eagles, and three bogeys.

In the third round, Mackenzie Hughes shot five birdies and two bogeys to score 67, jumping two positions on the leaderboard to settle in a tie for second place with a score of 10-under par. Discussing his game with Amanda Balionis on Saturday, June 1, Hughes said (via Golf on CBS's X account at 0:50):

"I felt like that in the last, let's say, six, eight weeks, the work I put in with my coach, Mark Wood, has really started to pay off, feeling just a little more consistent day in, day out. And when I don't have my best stuff, I feel like I'm closer to where I need to be."

"So my bad golf isn't quite as bad, and my good golf was a little better. And so I just kind of bring it up that whole baseline. And it's been really fun the last, let's say, eight weeks or so, feeling like I'm getting a little bit better each week and give myself a chance to win," he added.

Having turned pro in 2012, Mackenzie Hughes has won four tournaments in his career, including two on the PGA Tour. He is in contention to win his third PGA Tour event this week. The 2024 RBC Canadian Open will conclude on Sunday, June 2.