ATLANTA – The final hole at East Lake brought two strange sights Saturday at the Tour Championship.

First, Rory McIlroy hit a shot that toppled out of thick rough right into the water in front of him, a distance laser cameras estimated at 85 feet, 8 inches, not accounting for how far it sank to the bottom.

Then, Dustin Johnson reached his drive and could see the entire golf ball in the grass. It was in the first cut, sure, but a relief considering he didn’t hit a fairway over the final three hours.

It was a rare green light for Johnson, and he hit 5-iron to 30 feet for a two-putt birdie and an even-par 70, allowing to escape with a one-shot lead over Sungjae Im at the halfway point of the chase for the FedEx Cup and the $15 million prize.

Johnson headed straight to the range to try to figure out why he hit only two fairways, though he was satisfied to have so few chances and still stay in front.

“Two different golf courses if you’re playing from the fairway or playing from the rough,” Johnson said. “Playing from the fairway you can attack the course, you can shoot a good score. Playing from where I did, it’s not so much fun. But I managed my game pretty well, and pleased with the score that I shot, especially the way I drove the ball.”

McIlroy also shrugged off his shot, in which he tried to do too much with a gnarly lie, not so much to get over the water but a bunker on the right side. It cost him a bogey for a 71 that left him five behind, though he could see a bigger picture.

“It doesn’t look like I’m going to lose any ground today anyway, which is some sort of consolation,” he said.

That might have been the best take after a second round filled with birdies and blunders. The next 36 holes are all about opportunity for the nine player separated by just five shots.

As well as Johnson has been playing – two runner-up finishes and an 11-shot victory in his last three starts – there was a chance he could have taken his two-shot lead at the start of the tournament and run away with it.

Johnson, with rounds of 67-70 along with starting at 10 under as the No. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup, was at 13 under.

Im, the budding star from South Korea whose game had gone lukewarm coming out of the three-month shutdown, birdied three of his last four holes for a 64 and will be in the final group with Johnson.

Xander Schauffele, who won the Tour Championship as a rookie in 2017, ran off three straight birdies late in his round for a 65 and was two shots behind. Another big move came from PGA champion Collin Morikawa, whose 66 put him four shots out of the lead.

Johnson hit the fairway on the first and fifth holes – both pars. He still managed a birdie on No. 8 when he drove into a bunker, came up short of the green and chipped in from 40 feet, both the par 5s and on No. 3, where he made a 40-footer.

“I feel like I got my two bad rounds out of the way and I got two good ones coming, where the other guys, they’ve shot some good scores,” Johnson said. “My game feels good. I’ve still got a lot of confidence in everything I’m doing. Just I’ve got to hit it in the fairway. That’s pretty simple.”

He wasn’t alone in his struggles.

Justin Thomas pulled within one shot until he couldn’t convert birdie chances and then drove so far left on the 18th that he had to pitch out sideways, leading to bogey and a 71.

Jon Rahm again was keeping stride with Johnson until he found the water off the tee at the par-3 15th and made double bogey, followed by a wild drive that led to bogey on the 16th. He shot a 74, nine shots worse than his opening round. That left him four shots behind at 9 under.

That’s what was so maddening for Thomas, who felt like he was hitting it well enough from tee to green. He ranks last in the 30-man field in putting, which would not surprise him.

“I should have never shot over par today with how well I played,” he said. “I just made absolutely nothing.”

That much was evident when his 6-foot par putt swirled in and out of the cup, and Thomas gave it a sarcastic thumbs-up.

Rahm was frustrated as ever, mainly because he couldn’t capitalize when he was in the fairway and felt it was another round at East Lake that would cost him. Now, however, he’s still only four shots behind with 36 holes remaining and $15 million still very much up for grabs.

“The closest I came from the fifth hole on to make a birdie was that bunker shot on 18,” he said of his third shot from behind the green. “That’s the best look I had all day. It’s just one of those days. But like you said, the mentality is right now we’ve played two days of the tournament. I’m four back going into the weekend. Anything can happen.”

OTTAWA – The National Golf Course Owners Association Canada’s monthly Research Reports, presented by Club Car, continue to show impressive increases in both rounds played and revenue for the 2020 golf season.

NGCOA Canada Rounds Played Reports for the month of July showed an increase of 25.5% nationally year-over-year. All provinces were up by double digits with Saskatchewan leading the charge with an impressive increase of 40.1% followed with BC at 38.9%, 24.6% in Ontario, 22.9% in Alberta, 21.7% in Atlantic, 19% in Quebec and 17.2% in Manitoba.

What is even more impressive is the 2020 year-to-date increase of 9.3% nationally, considering the late start to this season in many regions due to COVID-19. At the end of May, the national Rounds Played results were down 25.9%. But the portion of May that courses were able to open was very strong and that continued through the first full month for all courses in June, and throughout the summer.

“Back in April, the uncertainty from COVID-19 and government mandated closures meant that the entire golf season was at serious risk”, stated Jeff Calderwood, CEO of the NGCOA Canada. “And now we’re tracking for record setting 2020 results!”

July rounds played also outpaced the past 5-year average by an impressive 25.6% which further reinforces the success golf is experiencing.

In addition to the golf benefitting as one of the safest activities during COVID-19 restrictions, NGCOA Canada’s Weather Impact Report shows that weather has also contributed to the success. Tracked regionally, the collective weather impact reported by all golf course operators scored an 8.1 index on a 0-10 scale where 5 is “normal”. The Reports show that Atlantic, Quebec and Ontario benefitted the most from favorable weather conditions.

Nationally, golf courses are also experiencing corresponding increases in revenues. Of particular note, credit card transaction revenues increased by 73.2% over July 2019, with Quebec and Ontario seeing the highest increases! The increase in online and contactless payments coupled with the renewed popularity in golf appear to be the main contributing factors.

That tremendous growth in July credit card transactions brings the 2020 year-to-date increase to almost 20%, more than offsetting the large decreases seen in March and April. All regions had significant growth with the exception of Atlantic Canada where it appears member and local play is driving the increase in rounds while the lucrative golf tourism market has been seriously curtailed by restrictions on both inter-provincial and International travel.

Calderwood goes on to note that “We had been hearing how busy golf courses have been and we saw positive data coming out of the June, the first full month this year. But our July Rounds and Revenue Reports confirm that the anecdotal comments and early positive data have indeed translated into a very sustained positive 2020 trend for Canadian golf. This may be a record-setting year despite the challenges associated with COVID-19”.

ATLANTA – Five days later, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm are still going at it. They dressed about the same Friday in the Tour Championship, matched birdies on five holes and wound up tied for the lead at East Lake.

That required Rahm getting the better of Johnson again.

Rahm, whose 65-foot birdie putt beat Johnson in a playoff at Olympia Fields last week, had a 5-under 65 that allowed him to make up the two-shot deficit at the start of the round that was awarded Johnson as the No. 1 seed in the FedEx Cup.

Johnson did his part with a 67, losing a three-shot edge early with back-to-back bogeys to end the front nine, and then missing a birdie putt from just over 4 feet on the final hole that would have given him the lead.

“The only birdie we didn’t share was mine on 16. Besides that, we birdied every single hole together, which is kind of unique, right?” Rahm said.

They were at 13-under par based on their starting positions in the FedEx Cup finale.

It was the second straight year under this format the FedEx Cup leader, who starts at 10 under with a two-shot lead, ended the opening round in a tie for the lead.

“Technically, it is a continuation,” Rahm said. “I kind of stole that tournament last week from him and he started with a two-shot lead. So hopefully, I can steal this one, as well.”

Justin Thomas was in the top spot a year ago and opened with a 70. He said later it felt awkward to start the tournament with a two-shot lead before hitting a shot. This year, he began at 7 under and shot a 66 to end the day two shots behind.

“I learned I would have rather been at 10 under than 7,” he said. “That being said, I feel like I’m in a good frame of mind. I’m in a good place mentally right now where I would like to feel like I would handle the golf course the same no matter what I was at. But I did a good job of just staying in my game today.”

The biggest move belonged to the player who might have had the least expectations. Rory McIlroy left Chicago on Sunday and spent three days with his newborn daughter, Poppy, only arriving in Atlanta on Thursday.

He finished with three straight birdies, getting up-and-down from a bunker short of the green on the par-5 18th, for a 64. He started seven shots behind and finished the opening round only four back.

“Even though I’ve had success here, I was coming in with no expectations. I didn’t touch a club for four days in between tournaments,” McIlroy said. “I come in here and golf was sort of the furthest thing from my mind. And sometimes that’s a good thing just to decompress and get away from it. Yeah, happy to have the start that I did.”

Abraham Ancer also had a 64 and cut three shots off his deficit, getting within six shots of Johnson and Rahm.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., the only Canadian in the tournament, shot an even-par 70 to finish the round tied for 26th with Billy Horschel and Joaquin Niemann.

A a muggy afternoon with moderate wind that allowed for 17 players in the 30-man field to break par. The average score was 68.7. Johnson and Rahm spent most of the day playing out of the rough, which makes it harder to get it close.

“The key out here is driving,” Johnson said. “If you can drive it in the fairway, you can shoot a good score. The greens are so good, and the only way to control the golf ball coming into the greens is hitting out of the fairway. That’s the only thing I need to do a little better tomorrow.”

Johnson, Rahm and Thomas hold the key to so many hopes in the chase for the FedEx Cup and its $15 million prize. If they play well, it makes it difficult for anyone to make up too much ground on the players who happened to be the top three players in the world ranking.

Johnson and Rahm had golf buzzing last week with that wild finish at the BMW Championship, where Johnson holed a bending 45-foot birdie putt down the slope on the final hole to force a playoff, and Rahm followed by making a 65-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole that turned out to be the winner.

Both wore navy trousers, a light blue shirt and a white cap. From a distance, it could be hard to tell them apart, especially with the birdies. Rahm holed one from 20 feet on the par-3 second hole, and Johnson matched him from 6 feet. Both got up-and-down for birdie on the par-5 sixth.

On the back nine, they matched birdies on the 12th, 13th and 15th holes – Rahm was outside him all three times.

“I feel like I was doing most of the pushing because I made pretty much every single birdie putt before he did,” Rahm said. “Props to him to be making them on top of me.”

The Spaniard finally caught him an 18-foot birdie putt on the 16th – Rahm’s fourth birdie in five holes – and both squandered birdie chances on the closing hole.

CALEDON, Ontario—Albert Pistorius made it look easy as he quickly broke away from the logjam of three other players tied atop the leaderboard when the final round of the Canada Life Series at TPC Toronto: Heathlands Course event began. Pistorius eagled his first hole of the day and birdied the third to quickly move to 10-under. As it turned out, Pistorius would need all those strokes.

The South Africa native who lives in Calgary was 4-over the rest of the way but that blazing start allowed him to win the third Canada Life Series tournament by a stroke over Andrew J. Funk, Callum Davison and Points List leader Yi Cao. The victory earned Pistorius 500 points, a $9,000 first-place payday and, most importantly, his first professional victory.

It was a battle late in the round, as wind blew strong and often on a crisp late-summer day. With the final grouping of Pistorius, Cao and Funk all tied at 8-under through 15 holes and Davison playing ahead, also at 8-under, it came down to who could make a putt down the stretch. As it turned out, it was Pistorius, at the par-5 16th, when he made his final birdie of the day—from eight feet. Meanwhile, the other three players all had late bogeys coming in, giving Pistorius the cushion he needed to bogey No. 18 and still walk away with the title.

“There were a lot of thoughts out there just barging into your mind, and you just have to keep focused on what you’re trying to do,” Pistorius said of both the pressure and the elements, not necessarily in that order. “It’s exhausting. With the wind swirling, it wasn’t easy out there today. Some of it was like a three-club wind.”

The weather took its toll on the field, and the leaders were not exempt. Davison shot himself out after he made back-to-back bogeys at Nos. 15 and 16. Funk bogeyed the par-3 17th to end his chances, and Cao bogeyed No. 16. After their bogeys, the trio could make nothing but pars.

“Today being such a difficult day, it’s extra sweet to be able to win. It was so tough to choose clubs. Some of the pins were tucked way back, and it was hard to get it close, especially on the back nine,” explained Pistorius, who put playing professional golf seven years ago. When his then-wife took a job in Calgary, Pistorius moved with her and began working at Pinebrook Golf and Country Club as a teaching pro. His decision to give tournament golf another try turned out to be a good one.

With a two-shot lead standing on the 18th tee, Pistorius split the fairway on his drive. On his full-wedge second shot, he caught the downslope on the green just in front of the cup, and the ball rolled away, leaving himself a 30-footer back up the hill. Pistorius misjudged the distance on his birdie effort and rolled his putt seven feet past the hole. With no scoreboards on the course, Pistorius was a little unsure where he stood against the field. He missed that putt, settling for bogey.

“On the last hole, I three-putted and thought I was going to be in a playoff,” Pistorius admitted. “It was just nice to know I didn’t have to go through that. I would have loved to show a little more emotion on 18, but I’m just glad that I got the win.

“This is my first win as a professional,” he added, “so I have to go home and think about this. It hasn’t really come to my mind that I’ve won. I’m pretty sure it will sink in a little later.

CALEDON, Ontario—Four players—Andrew J. Funk, Brendan Leonard, Canada Life Series Points Standings leader Yi Cao and Albert Pistorius—are jammed at the top of the leaderboard with one round left in the Canada Life Series tournament at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley’s Heathlands Course. Lest you think the winner will come from that group, a bevy of other players are within shouting distance and will have plenty to say who lifts the trophy Friday afternoon.

Amateur Garrett Rank is only a stroke back, while the trio of Aaron Crawford, David Byrne and JJ Regan are two behind. Friday is shaping up as a battle as the Series completes its third of four tournaments.

Leonard wasn’t doing much with his round when he got things revved up.

Shifting from calling games to making birdies? No problem for NHL ref Garrett Rank.

He's one off the lead heading into the final round at the #CanadaLifeSeries. pic.twitter.com/2ocq6Y7jeu

— Mackenzie Tour (@PGATOURCanada) September 4, 2020

“I made a nice eagle on No. 1. I had 217 (yards) to the pin and hit 5-iron, and I was right on it,” Leonard said of his quick start to his back nine that gave a jolt to his day. “I was 1-over going into that, so it flipped pretty quickly once I eagled there, and I hit it pretty close on the next.” Leonard followed that 3-under streak with another birdie at his 15th hole before closing with a disappointing bogey at the par-5 ninth, his 18th hole that, in retrospect, would have given him the outright lead. There’s nothing to hang his head about, though. The par-5 played .231 strokes over par Thursday as wind continued to wreak havoc on players’ strategy.

“It’s just staying patient, and that’s all I did out there,” Leonard added.

Cao, winner of the previous event at Bear Mountain and the first-round leader, found the going a bit more treacherous during his second tour of the Heathlands Course. Cao could never get out of neutral, playing the front nine in 1-under and the back nine in 1-over, with consecutive bogeys at Nos. 13 and 14 before he parred out. Like every other player, the British Columbia resident who is a native of China, battled the wind.

“I think the most-important thing about the wind out here is just how wide open it is, especially on the greens. The tee shots don’t bother me as much, but it makes the greens pretty tough to read. I was struggling a little bit on the greens.”

Even tied for the lead, Cao smiled at the prospect of going for two wins in a row.

“I just love playing out here, and I love the position that I’m in [Friday],” he added.

Pistorius had the round of the day, a 64 that moved him up 37 places on the leaderboard. His clean scorecard showed no bogeys and birdies on Nos. 1, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15 and 16. Funk only had one bogey to go with five birdies.

Rank is also more than satisfied with his position with 18 holes to play. “I got off to a nice start. The wind was kind of down for the first five or six holes. I hit some nice shots and made some nice putts,” Rank explained. “I didn’t finish as strong as I would have liked, but I’m in a good spot.”

ACTON, ON (September 3, 2020) — The PGA of Canada, along with TaylorMade Golf Canada and adidas Golf, has made the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 PGA Championship of Canada given continued health concerns and travel restrictions surrounding COVID-19.

The association’s flagship event was originally scheduled from July 6-10 at Edmonton’s Royal Mayfair Golf Club and later postponed in June due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“This decision has been made with the health and safety of players, volunteers and staff in mind,” said PGA of Canada President Teejay Alderdice. “We were cautiously optimistic in the spring that conditions might improve to a point where we could conduct the championship safely and at a level players expect. Ultimately, ongoing travel restrictions and risks associated with bringing a national field together during COVID-19 influenced the cancellation of this event.”

In addition to the national tournament, TaylorMade Golf Canada and adidas Golf support championships across all nine PGA of Canada Zones. Winners from both 2019 and 2020 Zone Championships will earn a coveted exemption into next year’s event as a result of the cancellation this year.

The PGA of Canada and its partners now look to 2021 to deliver an exceptional experience for members at the 99th-playing of the historic national championship.

“Golf professionals are the core of the industry,” said David Bradley, general manager at TaylorMade Golf Canada. “We are pleased to work with the PGA of Canada to offer competitive opportunities at the Zone level this season and look forward to supporting a fantastic national championship in 2021.”

“This is a top-tier event in Canada and one we are certainly proud to be a part of,” said adidas Golf General Manager Lesley Hawkins. “Our team is excited to raise the bar next year with the PGA of Canada for what promises to be a thrilling return.”

The PGA of Canada Player Rankings presented by RBC were paused in June given the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on events across the country.

Past PGA Championship of Canada winner Pierre-Alexandre Bedard of Chibougamau, Que., will hold on to his No. 1 ranking heading into next year, earning him a spot in the ’21 RBC Canadian Open at St. George’s Golf & Country Club.

The date and location of next year’s PGA Championship of Canada presented by TaylorMade Golf Canada and adidas Golf will be announced toward the end of 2020.

The 2020 CP Women’s Leadership Summit — conducted virtually for the first time ever.

The Summit features guest speakers such as former CP Women’s Open champion Brooke Henderson, Canadian Golf Hall of Famer Lorie Kane, TSN personality Lindsay Hamilton and Olympians Perdita Felicien and Marnie McBean.

Like many of you, I’ve always been diligent about maintaining an accurate handicap. The reasons are ridiculously obvious: I want to know if my game is improving (or not) and I want to ensure that when I compete in net events, I’m being honest and equitable with my fellow competitors.

I never really thought about the mechanics of the system, perhaps because I was too lazy or disinterested to read through the ponderous Handicap Manual (now called the Rules of Handicapping). I gave full credit to the boffins who came up with the convoluted doorstop but never cared to interview the geniuses behind the curtain.

And then, this year, along came the World Handicap System.

Perhaps because of the restrictions due to COVID-19, golfers had more time on their hands. In any case, I’ve never been asked more handicap-related questions at the course or on social media. So, taking a cue from the manuals that accompany your new car or fridge or TV, here’s my version of a “Quick Start Guide” for the World Handicap System.

Why a new handicap system?

Why not? Golf now has both a globally recognized set of Rules as well as a worldwide handicap system. Even if you never travel outside Canada, you can be assured you are playing the same game as every other golfer around the world. The new system may require some tweaking after it’s been in effect for a while but it’s doubtful there will be another significant revision in the near future.

How does the new World Handicap System work?

At one of the meetings of the 23-member committee tasked with creating the new system, a USGA delegate compared understanding the intricacies of the handicapping system with air travel.

“I have no idea how an airplane works. I don’t understand jet propulsion, aeronautics and so on, but I trust that when I get on that plane, it will get me safely to the destination I intended.”*

Likewise, the process of coming up with the World Handicap System would make your head spin, so just concern yourself with the final outcome.

But if you’re in quarantine or a masochist or one of those aforementioned boffins, you can review the Rules of Handicapping here.

Has the Course Handicap calculation changed?

Yes. To your benefit. Under the old system, there might have been just a two- or three-shot difference in your Course Handicap from the front to back set of tees, despite the fact that those tee decks might be separated by 1,500 yards.

Under the new system, that difference now might be 10 to 12 shots because the par of the course has been integrated into the calculation.

Why doesn’t my Handicap Index go up when I post a high score?

Under the old system, the low 10 of your most recent 20 scores were used to calculate your Handicap Index. Under the new system, the low eight are used. So that bad score may not enter into the calculation. Similarly, using the most recent eight scores instead of 10 may have lowered your Index.

What the heck is Net Double Bogey?

“Net Double Bogey” has replaced the old Equitable Stroke Control system (ESC).

Now everyone’s maximum score for handicap purposes is net double bogey. Simply put, this is the par of the hole PLUS two strokes (double bogey) PLUS any handicap strokes you may be allowed on that hole.

If you don’t want to have to figure that out when you’re posting your score, let the Golf Canada Score Center do it for you. When you enter your score hole by hole, the Score Center automatically adjusts for net double bogey.

And for those of you complaining about posting scores hole by hole: You play the game hole by hole so why not post your score that way? It takes only a couple of minutes and provides some interesting data.

Here’s my Super Easy Quick Start Guide:

Post all your scores hole by hole immediately after your round. Let the Golf Canada Score Centre take care of the rest. And check out the new app which makes the process even easier.

(*Thanks to Craig Loughry, Director of Golf Services at Golf Ontario, for this anecdote and other invaluable assistance with this article. Loughry was the Canadian representative on the World Handicap Operations Committee.)

ATLANTA – Rory McIlroy is the last of 30 players to arrive at the Tour Championship and couldn’t be more thrilled.

His wife gave birth to their first child.

McIlroy announced on social media that his daughter, Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, was born Monday in Florida.

“She is the absolute love of our lives,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy had told only close friends that his wife, Erica, was expecting. It was mentioned on Golf Channel last week at the BMW Championship and he confirmed she was due at any time. McIlroy said he would be willing to miss the Tour Championship and a shot at winning the FedEx Cup.

Poppy Kennedy McIlroy, born August 31st, 12:15pm. She is the absolute love of our lives. Mother and baby are doing great. Massive thank you to all the staff at Jupiter Medical Center and Dr Sasha Melendy for their amazing care ❤️❤️❤️ pic.twitter.com/IwFeGf8rod

— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) September 3, 2020

That won’t be the case now.

McIlroy, trying to become the first three-time FedEx Cup champion, starts the Tour Championship as the No. 11 seed, meaning he is seven shots behind Dustin Johnson.

Mackenzie Hughes pumped his fist when he drained a five-foot putt on the 18th green on Sunday at the BMW Championship to move into the top 30 of the FedEx Cup rankings. After retrieving the ball from the hole he threw his hands into the air as much out of relief as excitement for the future.

Making par on No. 18 at Olympia Fields Country Club meant that Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., tied for 10th at the tournament to move eight spots up in the rankings and qualify for the exclusive Tour Championship, which tees off on Friday.

The Tour Championship, held at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, sees the top 30 players on the PGA Tour play four rounds of golf. Top-ranked Dustin Johnson starts at 10 under, No. 2 Jon Rahm begins at 9 under, and so on, with Hughes in a five-way tie for 26th at even par.

CLUTCH ? pic.twitter.com/ymUALeZh8p

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) August 30, 2020

“I know I’ll start with long odds, but that’s why you play. There’s no guarantees,” said Hughes. “I’m excited to be there and to have the opportunity and I’ll go and try to make the most of it.”

Finishing the PGA season in the top 30 has other perks for Hughes, including making three of golf’s four majors, as well as the Players Championship and the Tournament of Champions.

Hughes said he’s excited for what the 2021 season holds, but returning to storied Augusta National Golf Club has long been a target after missing the cut in 2017, his lone appearance at the event.

“Going to the Masters again has been on my radar ever since I went my rookie year. I was just really disappointed with how it went the first time around,” said Hughes on Monday. “I just wanted to have another chance at it someday.

“You don’t get tons of cracks at it. The Masters is one that’s really tough to qualify for, you’ve either got to win, be top 50 in the world, or make the Tour Championship. I’m just super excited to be a part of it.”

Hughes had a difficult start to the 2020 season, missing nine of 11 cuts until the Honda Classic where he finished second on March 1.

He credits caddy Jace Walker and coach Ralph Bauer – who he started working with this summer – in helping him turn his season around. In particular, Hughes thinks mental toughness and creating a positive vibe with Walker when they’re on the course has made the difference.

“I’m a pretty gritty and determined player,” said Hughes. “If I keep my head on straight and think clear in tough moments I think that’s a big asset of mine. That’s been a huge strength in the last year.”

 

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On the big stage ? Mac kicks things off Friday at 12:10 pm, starting at even par.

A post shared by Golf Canada (@thegolfcanada) on Sep 2, 2020 at 7:01am PDT

That fortitude was put to the test on Sunday when Hughes was on the 18th fairway and a spot in the Tour Championship was on the line. After hitting a drive to the fairway, Hughes’s approach shot landed in a greenside bunker.

“My thought was ‘what the heck are you doing, man?’ I was not super pleased with myself there,” said Hughes. “Obviously, made a bad swing at the wrong time after hitting a great drive too.”

Hughes and Walker spoke as they walked to the bunker, clearing the golfer’s head and leaving the bad shot behind on the fairway.

“I just told myself I had to make an up-and-down out of the bunker and I do that all the time,” said Hughes, who did make the clean out to set up the five-foot putt.

After the BMW Championship Hughes flew home to Charlotte, N.C., to sleep in his own bed and take advantage of the Tour Championship’s Friday start. He’s pleased that his support system will be even broader at the season’s finale as his wife Jenna, their son, and her parents will be able to come to the Tour Championship after the PGA loosened its COVID-19 protocols for the tournament.

“I think with anything you do in life that’s good it’s more fun to do with the people that you love and be able to share with people,” said Hughes. “It’s going to be great to have them all there with me.”