MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Justin Thomas wants to make his second stint as No. 1 in the world last longer than the first time around.

“I hope so,” Thomas said Sunday after winning the FedEx St. Jude Invitational to take the No. 1 spot for the first time since June 2018. “I feel like I’m a better player, and I feel like I’m more complete of a golfer now than I was then.”

Thomas dueled defending champion Brooks Koepka down the final holes, sealing the World Golf Championship victory on the par-5 16th. Thomas took the lead for good with his second straight birdie, while Koepka bogeyed the hole.

Koepka pulled within a stroke with a 39-footer for birdie on No. 17. But Koepka put his tee shot into the water along the 18th fairway on his way to double bogey, allowing Thomas to finish up an easy par putt for what wound up a three-stroke victory.

Thomas closed with a 5-under 66 to finish at 13-under 267 and take the $10.5 million winner’s check for his 13th PGA Tour title. At 27, he became the third-youngest player since 1960 to reach 13 PGA Tour wins, trailing only Tiger Woods and Jack Nicklaus.

“I’ve been fortunate to have a good career so far, but I plan on playing out here for a long time and have a lot of things that I still want to accomplish,” Thomas said. “And every milestone and steppingstone is hopefully something that I can learn from and something that will help me even more in the long run.”

One sign of Thomas’ growth was this was the fifth time he rallied to win, and he matched his biggest comeback after starting the day four strokes back of third-round leader Brendon Todd. Thomas has three wins this season, two since the start of the year.

The last time Thomas was No. 1, he spent four weeks at the top of the ranking. He will supplant Jon Rahm, who became No. 1 after winning at Memorial two weeks ago and tied for 52nd this week.

Koepka will go to TPC Harding Park in San Francisco looking to defend his PGA championship title, and he said he’s feeling good about how he’s playing. He finished with a 69 and tied for second with Phil Mickelson (67), Daniel Berger (65) and Tom Lewis (66).

“I thought I hit a good chip on 16,” Koepka said. “I don’t know what it did. Then another minute I thought it was in for another second. So to make bogey there was disappointing. Obviously drained a big one on 17, and then you’re down one. You’ve got to take an aggressive line on 18, so it is what it is.”

Thomas had Jim “Bones” Mackay on his bag, playing in the same group with Mickelson for the first time since Mickelson split with his longtime caddie. Mackay was a late fill-in for Thomas’ usual caddie, Jimmy Johnson.

“I feel like he knows enough about my game to where he can contribute and be a help, and he was,” Thomas said about Mackay.

Thomas made up the deficit with four birdies on the front nine and just missed another birdie chance on No. 8. His 20-footer on No. 9 tied Todd at 12 under.

Todd, whose putting had carried him through the first three rounds, three-putted for bogey from 23 feet on the par-3 eighth, leaving Thomas alone atop the leaderboard.

Thomas put his second on the par-4 12th into a greenside bunker near the back edge and chopped it out to the rough. He chipped out from an awkward stance to salvage bogey.

That created a five-way tie at 11 under with Koepka, Berger, Lewis and Todd.

Koepka took the lead to himself on the par-4 13th. He hit his approach from 133 yards to 10 feet of the pin, and Koepka sunk the putt for his third birdie of the round to go to 12 under.

After hitting his tee shot 321 yards to the rough 51 yards short of the hole on No. 15, Thomas hit to 6 feet for a birdie, tying Koepka at 12 under with three to play. Thomas found the rough far right of the cart path on the par-5 16th, then hit his third from the left rough 65 yards to 3 feet for his second straight birdie.

Koepka, in the group behind Thomas, tried to answer 42 yards from the hole. His shot landed close to the hole only to keep rolling to the back of the green. Koepka wound up two-putting from 8 feet for bogey.

Finishing on No. 18, Thomas made sure to avoid any danger before Koepka’s final birdie.

“I saw that I had a two-shot lead, hence the reason I hit it right of the universe,” Thomas said of a tee shot that went right of the cart path. “It was not going left, I promise you that.”

Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., was the top Canadian, firing a 70 to finish in a tie for 30th at 4 under. Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., (71) was 3 under, Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., (69) was 2 under, while Abbotsford’s Adam Hadwin (69) finished 8 over.

DUBLIN, Ohio – Canadian Mackenzie Hughes will be returning to the U.S. Open following another strong outing on the PGA Tour.

Hughes, of Dundas, Ont., finished in a tie for sixth on Sunday at the Memorial to earn a spot in the major tournament.

He’ll join fellow Canadians Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., and Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., at Winged Foot when the U.S. Open tees off in the fall.

Hughes, who also qualified for the U.S. Open in 2013 and ’18, had three birdies – including one on No. 12 with 67-foot putt – and three bogeys for a 72 in the final round of the Memorial to finish 3 under.

From downtown Dundas, Ontario ?? pic.twitter.com/5ukMDWwzBE

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) July 19, 2020

Hughes and runner-up Ryan Palmer earned U.S. Open spots as the leading two players from the top 10 who were not already eligible.

Henrik Norlander could have taken the final spot with a par on the 18th, but made bogey to tie Hughes at 3 under. The spot went to Hughes because he had the better world ranking.

Jon Rahm struggled to a 3-over 75 but held on to win the tournament by three strokes over Palmer at 9 under.

Rahm, who held an eight shot lead at the turn before a difficult back nine, joins Seve Ballesteros as the only Spaniards to reach No. 1 in the world golf rankings following the victory – leapfrogging Rory McIlroy, who held the top ranking since Feb. 9.

Meanwhile, Conners (72) came in a tie for 22nd at 3 over and Hadwin (81) fell down to 54th at 9 over.

Hughes will go from No. 97 to a career-best No. 75 in the world golf rankings following the Memorial.

He shot a 60 in the first round of the Travelers Championship less than a month ago and finished the tournament third, while also grabbing second place at the Honda Classic in March before the COVID-19 pandemic halted golf.

The 29-year-old Hughes has three top-10 finishes in 11 events in 2020 after only three top-10 finishes in 54 tournaments between 2018 and ’19.

Only five players broke par Sunday, the fewest for a final round since the Memorial began in 1976. The average score of 75.932 was the highest for the final round since it was 75.972 in 1978.

The 120th U.S. Open, originally scheduled for June 18–21, was postponed to September 17-20 because of the pandemic.

DUBLIN, Ohio – Jon Rahm showed Saturday in the Memorial why he’s one of the most explosive players in golf.

With his clubs.

A back nine that capped off what he considers one of the best rounds of his careers gave Rahm a 4-under 68, turned a four-shot deficit into a four-shot lead and put the 25-year-old Spaniard on the verge of reaching No. 1 in the world.

“Today could be one of the best rounds of golf I’ve played in my life,” Rahm said, a tribute to a Muirfield Village getting so close to the edge it drew comparisons with a major. “And it’s hard to believe how passively it came, compared to how I played usually.”

His passion is so great it can hurt as much as it helps. On this day, facing this test, Rahm kept his cool. He watched Tony Finau reach the par-5 11 in two for a sure birdie that would leave the Spaniard four shots behind.

There was no panic. Rahm said he told his caddie on the 13th tee, “If we can finish the last six holes under par, it’s a great finish. And whatever we have to do to make a comeback, we’ll make a comeback.”

Birdie. Birdie. Birdie. Birdie.

With help from Finau and his two double bogeys, and Ryan Palmer with bogeys on two of his last three holes, that turned into a four-shot lead for Rahm.

A victory allows him to join Seve Ballesteros as the only Spaniards to reach No. 1, provided that Rory McIlroy doesn’t finish as a runner-up. McIlroy shot 72 – not a bad effort on a day wher the average score was 73.7 – and was 10 shots back.

“I’ve got to get out there tomorrow, play solid again and get the job done and think about the No. 1 afterwards,” he said.

Rahm was at 12-under 204 as he goes for his fourth PGA Tour victory, and 10th worldwide. Finau and Palmer, each with a 73, were three behind. Former Masters champion Danny Willett (70), next in line at six shots back.

Finau was was bogey-free on the front nine, poured in a 50-foot birdie putt and then easily reached the green on the par-5 11th for a two-putt birdie to reach 12 under.

One swing changed everything.

Finau’s tee shot on the par-3 12th in a swirling wind sailed 15 yards over the green, leaving a downhill chip from thick rough to a green that was yellow and ran toward the water. He left it short, chipped through the green and made double bogey. Finau took another double bogey on the 17th hole with an awkward lie in the rough.

“It was good, and then it wasn’t good,” Finau said. “Man, this golf course can get you in a heartbeat. You just try and put your best foot forward every hole, every shot and try and play as well as you can. The greens are firm. There’s enough wind up there to think about. They’re fast. A little disappointed in my finish, but look, I’m in a good position going into tomorrow.

“And it’s going to be tough tomorrow.”

Muirfield Village is rebuilding all the greens starting Monday, and tournament officials are not afraid to let the course go to the very edge for the strongest field of the year.

It wasn’t easy to get shots close. It wasn’t easy to hole putts. It wasn’t easy to do anything.

It was the highest average score for the third round at the Memorial since 2012, the last year Tiger Woods won. There won’t be a repeat of that. Woods said he felt better and he played better, posting a 71. He still was 14 shots behind.

That’s what made Rahm’s round so special. The ball kept rolling on the greens, and the Spaniard realized it was happening to everybody. He dropped only one shot, on the par-3 eighth.

And his finish was simply sublime.

Rahm played in the group in front of Finau and saw him reach the 11th green in two, a sure birdie. His only concern was hitting the green at No. 12, trying to pick up a birdie or two and if had to rally on Sunday, so be it.

He hammered his tee shot 360 yards over the bunker that set up a wedge to 12 feet for birdie on the 13th. He wisely laid up on the 14th, with the tees moved forward to play at 322 yards, and hit wedge to 5 feet for birdie.

Right of the green on the par-5 15th in two, with the green running fast and away from him, he hit a flop-and-run to 3 feet for a third straight birdie. And then he capped it off with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 16th.

Just like that, he had the lead. He’s in control.

Rahm has had a mathematical chance to reach No. 1 ever since golf resumed six weeks ago. He missed the cut at Colonial and finished out of the top 25 in the other three events he played.

Now it’s right there in front of him – along with a Muirfield Village course that won’t be getting any easier.

“Whatever happens tomorrow happens, but it’ll be a great test for me to learn for the future, for major championships,” Rahm said. “Because this is going to be the closest thing we get to a major championship without being one.”

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., leads all Canadians at 3 under par in a tie for 9th. Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, B.C.) is at even par while Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) is 3 over.

DUBLIN, Ohio – Tony Finau figured he was on the right track when he shot 59 at Victory Ranch last week in Utah.

That kind of score isn’t happening at Muirfield Village, where the greens are getting faster by the hour. No matter. Finau took enough confidence from playing with his kids at home during a week off, and it translated into 14 birdies over two days and a share of the 36-hole lead at the Memorial.

Finau recovered from two bogeys three holes into his second round Friday by making birdie on the rest of his par 5s and finishing with a wedge to 2 feet for a 3-under 69.

That put him at 9-under 135 with Ryan Palmer (68), who had made only one bogey over two rounds. The way Muirfield Village is playing, both are impressive.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., leads the way for the Canadian contingent after a 6-under 66 vaulted him into a tie for 8th at 4 under par. Adam Hadwin (Abbotsford, B.C.) sits T47 while Corey Conners (Listowel, Ont.) is T64.

Among the early starters, they had a one-shot lead over Jon Rahm (67), who has another chance to reach No. 1 in the world this week for the first time in his career. U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland had a 70 and was two behind.

For Tiger Woods, it was a matter of hoping he gets two more rounds. Woods said his back felt stiff while warming up, and missing a pair of 3-footers didn’t make him feel any better. He managed two birdies and a 7-foot par save on his final three holes for a 76 that forced him to wait until the afternoon to see if he would make the cut.

Woods, a five-time winner at Muirfield Village, has never missed the cut in 17 previous times at the Memorial.

“Not very good,” Woods said. “I three-putted two holes early, and whatever kind of momentum I was going to create, I stifled that early and fought it the rest of the day.”

Finau elected to stay home last week instead of playing Muirfield Village twice in a row. He won’t compare Victory Ranch with Muirfield Village, though it inspired him. At one point, he was 14-under par through 16 holes until making a bogey on the 17th hole and settling for his second sub-60 round away from the PGA Tour.

“I don’t know how many times I’ve been 14 under through 16 holes on a good golf course,” Finau said. “But it told me I was in good form and just told me how good I am at scoring. So I think I definitely carried some of that right into this week, and that confidence I think is pretty cool.”

The way Muirfield Village began to look Friday, the weekend at the Memorial will be more about hanging on than going low. The course is replacing all the greens after this week, so officials are letting them go. It doesn’t matter if they’re so fast the grass dies because they’re being ripped up, anyway.

That began to show even on a calm, still morning.

Brooks Koepka appeared to hit a solid bunker shot from right of the 16th green until it rolled out a few feet past the hole, and then a few more feet until it was off the green and resting against the collar of rough. That wasn’t his biggest problem. Koepka dumped a shot in the water on his final hole at No. 9 and made double bogey for a 75.

That put him at 3-over 147, same as Woods, and he had to wait to see if he made the cut.

Rory McIlroy shot 72, which goes in the book as a round of even par. It was anything but that. He hit into the creek and muffed a chip for a double bogey on the par-5 11th. He smoked a fairway metal to 8 feet for eagle on the par-5 fifth. He hit wedge to 10 feet for a pair of birdies. He chunked a wedge into a bunker and made bogey.

He was at 2-under 142.

“I don’t know what it was,” he said. “It was a few birdies and an eagle thrown in there and a few mistakes. There’s some good in there, some mediocre and there was some pretty poor shots. But I battled back well.”

Palmer played the Workday Charity Open last week at Muirfield Village and missed the cut. Instead of staying in Ohio, he went home to Texas to work with swing coach Randy Smith, and he found a fix to whatever was holding him back.

“One little, small flaw in my back swing,” Palmer said.

He also did some work on the greens with Steve Stricker, and Palmer feels good enough about his chances on the weekend.

Stricker didn’t do too badly, either. The 53-year-old Ryder Cup captain had a 67 and was at 4-under 140, along with Jim Furyk, who turned 50 two months ago and shot 68.

Although it’s been a strange PGA Tour season with rescheduled events after a three-month break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Roger Sloan has been grateful for the opportunities it’s presented.

Sloan, from Merritt, B.C., finished last season ranked 93rd in the FedExCup standings but stumbled out of the gate before the suspension of play in March. That layoff gave him more time to work with coach Jeff Barton and help his family settle in to their new home in Houston.

“Before the pandemic hit I’d been struggling quite a bit with my golf game and it was nice to get a three-month break to reset and re-evaluate what I’d been doing,” said Sloan. “It was almost like a second off-season.”

Sloan, his wife Casey, and their two children moved in the scheduled winter off-season. Although they usually travel together when the PGA Tour is in full swing, the three-month layoff gave them a rare chance at some quality time together.

“To really get that sustained three months off where you really didn’t have to worry about a golf tournament or preparing for anything, definitely that first half was so nice just to be at home and really get connected to your family,” said Sloan. “I think it was definitely a benefit for all families that compete on the PGA Tour.”

Although Sloan had an encouraging tie for 13th at the Safeway Open in September, he missed 10 cuts – including six straight from November to February – before the cancellation of the Players’ Championship signalled the beginning of the pandemic break.

However, Sloan’s started to find consistency in his game again. He missed the cut at the RBC Heritage, then finished 66th at the Travelers Championship, before another missed cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Most encouragingly, he tied for 27th at last week’s Workday Charity Open, the best performance of the six Canadians at the event, before taking the week off for the Memorial. That performance elevated him to 173rd in the FedExCup standings.

“I’ve always played very well on Jack Nicklaus golf courses,” said Sloan. “I was actually kind of disappointed because I played a lot better than my result. I left a lot of sloppy mistakes out there with the shorter clubs.

“It was encouraging to really see my game improve. … It really gives you hope that things are trending in the right direction.”

Sloan will be back in the field for next week’s 3M Open at TPC Twin Cities in Blaine, Minn., then the Barracuda Championship, and will wrap up the season at the Wyndham Championship if he doesn’t earn his way on to the PGA Championship.

Because of the abbreviated season and the cancellation of the third-tier tours like Canada’s Mackenzie Tour, PGA Tour Series China, and PGA Latinoamerica, the PGA Tour has extended everyone’s tour status to next season. That takes some pressure off Sloan, as he’ll be able to play at the highest level in 2021 once again.

“While I get the opportunity to play on the PGA Tour next year if I don’t keep my card through this season it would be in a different category but I would still get a decent amount of starts. That is a huge luxury that we have,” said Sloan.

“It frees you up a little bit to go back to the basics and focus on what makes you a really good golfer. For me that’s really making it simple and focusing one shot at a time.”

DUBLIN, Ohio –

A trio of Canadians are near the top of the leaderboard following the opening round of the PGA Tour’s Workday Charity Open on Thursday.

Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., posted the highest score among Canadian golfers with a 6-under 66. He’s one stroke behind leader Collin Morikawa who shot a 7-under 65.

Nick Taylor, also of Abbotsford, was in a group of four golfers two shots behind back at 5 under, while Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C. shot a 4-under 68 Thursday. He is in an 11-way tie for seventh place.

Taylor is playing in his first tournament on tour since the PGA restarted last month during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hadwin, who shot his eighth consecutive round in the 60s, is coming off a tie for fourth last week at the Rocket Mortgage Classic in Detroit.

Mackenzie Hughes of Dundas, Ont., shot 2-under 70, while David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., carded a 71.

Hadwin bogeyed his first hole before reeling off seven birdies.

“Even the first two weeks back, I felt like I played some pretty decent golf. I just kind of made some rusty mistakes,” Hadwin said.

“I’d hit a ball out of bounds or in the water where I shouldn’t have or maybe try to get too much out of a shot, whereas I think last week it kind of came together. I was doing a lot of the similar things, but I didn’t make any of the mistakes. I felt like there were times where last week where I probably could have gotten a few more shots, but I really didn’t have any risk. It was kind of a free-flowing easy type round and just not a lot of stress. When you can do that through multiple weeks, it helps a lot.”

Taylor took time off as the tour restarted to be with his eight-month-old son.

“Obviously the break was great timing for a lot of reasons … Have a bit of a cushion, take some more time off, I just really enjoyed being home, so just waiting an extra few weeks, (it) was great to be home,” Taylor said. “Yeah, I’m excited to get back out here and play, but it was nice to be home.”

The PGA of America, Ryder Cup Europe and the PGA TOUR jointly announced today that both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup have been rescheduled and will now be played one year later than originally planned.

The 43rd Ryder Cup, scheduled for September 22-27, at Whistling Straits in Kohler, Wisconsin, has been rescheduled for September 21-26, 2021.

Likewise, the Presidents Cup, initially slated for September 30-October 3, 2021, at Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, North Carolina, will now be played September 19-25, 2022.

The decision to reschedule the Ryder Cup was based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and in conjunction with the state of Wisconsin and Sheboygan County, with the health and well-being of all involved as the top priority.

“Unlike other major sporting events that are played in existing stadiums, we had to make a decision now about building facilities to host the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits,” said PGA of America CEO Seth Waugh. “It became clear that as of today, our medical experts and the public authorities in Wisconsin could not give us certainty that conducting an event responsibly with thousands of spectators in September would be possible. Given that uncertainty, we knew rescheduling was the right call. We are grateful to PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan and our partners at the TOUR for their flexibility and generosity in the complex task of shifting the global golf calendar.

“As disappointing as this is, our mandate to do all we can to safeguard public health is what matters most. The spectators who support both the U.S. and European sides are what make the Ryder Cup such a unique and compelling event and playing without them was not a realistic option. We stand united with our partners from Ryder Cup Europe, the NBC Sports Group, Sky and our other broadcast partners around the world. We look forward to delivering the Ryder Cup’s renowned pageantry, emotion and competitive drama to a global audience in 2021.”

Guy Kinnings, Europe’s Ryder Cup Director, said: “The Ryder Cup is rightly celebrated as one of the world’s greatest sporting occasions, made special and totally unique in our sport by the fervent atmosphere created by the passionate spectators of both sides.

“While that point is significant, it is not as important as the health of the spectators which, in these difficult times, is always the main consideration. We considered all options including playing with a limited attendance but all our stakeholders agreed this would dilute the magic of this great occasion.

“We therefore stand beside our partners at the PGA of America in the decision to postpone the Ryder Cup for a year and join with them in extending our thanks to the PGA TOUR for their willingness to move the dates of the Presidents Cup.

“We also thank NBC, Sky and our many broadcast partners around the globe, in addition to the worldwide partners of this great event, whose support and commitment are second to none.”

With the decision to play the 2020 Ryder Cup in September 2021, all subsequent Ryder Cups after Whistling Straits will also shift to odd years: 2023/Marco Simone Golf and Country Club (Rome, Italy); 2025/Bethpage Black (Farmingdale, New York); 2027/Adare Manor (County Limerick, Ireland); 2029/Hazeltine National Golf Club (Chaska, Minnesota); 2031/Europe (to be determined); 2033/The Olympic Club (San Francisco); 2035/Europe (to be determined); 2037/Congressional Country Club (Bethesda, Maryland).

With the momentum of the successful 2019 Presidents Cup played in Melbourne, Australia, the 14th playing of the Presidents Cup will now be hosted for the first time in the Southeast United States at Quail Hollow Club in 2022.

“These two premier international team events are lifted by the spirit of the fans,” said Monahan. “With the uncertainty of the current climate, we fully support the Ryder Cup’s decision to delay a year in order to ensure fans could be a part of the incredible atmosphere in Wisconsin, and the delay of this year’s Presidents Cup was the right decision in order to allow for that option. We are thankful that our global partners, our friends at Quail Hollow Club, our long-time annual title sponsor in Charlotte and all associated with the Presidents Cup and the Junior Presidents Cup have approached this change with a unified, positive spirit. We are confident the move will give us even more runway as we bring the Presidents Cup to Charlotte in 2022.”

Additionally, as a result of the Presidents Cup date change, the Wells Fargo Championship will be played at its traditional venue at Quail Hollow Club in 2021, at TPC Potomac in 2022 during the Presidents Cup year and will return to Quail Hollow in 2023. Presidents Cup 2022 qualifying will be determined at a later date.

The Ryder Cup, which began in 1927, brings together the finest tour professionals from the United States and Europe.

“While it is disappointing that the Ryder Cup won’t be played this year, the decision to reschedule is the right thing to do under the circumstances,” said U.S. Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker. “At the end of the day, we want to stage a Ryder Cup that will rival all other Ryder Cups in my home state of Wisconsin, and now we have the opportunity to showcase the event as it was meant to be seen.”

Pádraig Harrington, Captain of the European Ryder Cup Team, said: “Rescheduling the Ryder Cup was never going to be an easy decision given the many factors to take into consideration. But I believe it is the right assessment given the unprecedented circumstances we are facing at this time.

“When you think of the Ryder Cup you think of the distinctive atmosphere generated by the spectators, such as around the first tee at Le Golf National two years ago. If that cannot be responsibly recreated at Whistling Straits in September, then it is correct that we all wait until it can be.

“I know, right now, that September 2021 feels like a long time away. But it will come around quickly and I guarantee that the European players and I will be ready when it does.”

For Ryder Cup qualifying, both the United States and European teams will revisit their respective selection processes in the near future.

In a corresponding decision, the PGA of America and Ryder Cup Europe also announced that the Junior Ryder Cup will be rescheduled for September 20-21, 2021 at Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin. It was originally scheduled for September 21-22, 2020.

Mackenzie Hughes doesn’t think of himself as an ambassador for golf, but when he has the opportunity to promote the sport he loves he embraces that role.

The Canadian became something of an online sensation Sunday after he drained back-to-back putts of more than 43 feet to birdie his final two holes and finish third at the Travelers Championship. Video of the two putts – especially the 48-footer on No. 17 that took almost a 90 degree turn to find its line – has had his phone buzzing for days.

A tweet from the PGA Tour of Hughes’s impressive putts has had more than 2,500 retweets and nearly 18,000 likes, even drawing casual fans into golf.

Piece of ? pic.twitter.com/MUsWWiNss6

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 29, 2020

“We’re just trying to put on a good show and entertain whenever we play,” said Hughes. “I’d love to get as many people as possible into the game because, obviously, I think it’s a great game.”

It’s not the first time Hughes has put on a show for fans.

At the 2019 RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf Club – essentially Hughes’s home course, having grown up in nearby Dundas, Ont. – he drew raucous cheers when he pulled on a Kawhi Leonard jersey before teeing off at No. 13 when the Toronto Raptors were in the thick of the NBA’s post-season.

“I knew that was going to get a good reaction,” said Hughes, who added that he likes to engage fans. “I think it reminds you to not take things too seriously and have a little bit of fun out there. I think when I do that I play better.

“I mean, we’re in an entertainment business so we are trying to, in essence, put on a show for people. If I can help in any way, then that’s awesome.”

Hughes is skipping this week’s Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club, instead spending time with his wife, son and family at a cottage in western New York to celebrate Canada Day and Independence Day.

Happy Canada Day! Proud to be Canadian and to represent Canada wherever I compete #CanadaDay ??

— Mackenzie Hughes (@MacHughesGolf) July 1, 2020

There will be four Canadians in the field when the event tees off on Thursday with Michael Gligic of Burlington, Ont., Adam Hadwin of Abbotsford, B.C., David Hearn of Brantford, Ont., and Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., playing.

Hughes had intended to play in the Rocket Mortgage but, with the PGA Tour having to re-shuffle its calendar because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it meant that there were seven high-quality events in a row. As a result, he reluctantly withdrew from the tournament in Detroit.

Tying for third at the Travelers Championship has been a big benefit to Hughes’s season.

He now sits 46th in the FedExCup standings and 98th in the world golf rankings. Hadwin is 60th and Corey Conners of Listowel, Ont., is 66th in the world, putting three Canadians in the top 100 of the world golf rankings for the first time ever. With Nick Taylor, from Abbotsford, sitting at 102, there could be four in the top 100 sooner rather than later.

CROMWELL, Conn. – Video clips of Canadian Mackenzie Hughes draining a 47-foot birdie putt on No. 17 at the Travelers Championship – making a sharp right turn before heading into the hole – were starting to circulate online when he turned around and drained a 43-footer to birdie No. 18, too.

The back-to-back birdies put the product of Dundas, Ont., into a tie for third with American Will Gordon at 17 under on Sunday, and two shots back of eventual winner Dustin Johnson.

Although it was a flashy finish for Hughes, it was still something of a disappointment after the Canadian fired a 10-under 60 on Thursday to hold a three-stroke lead after the first round.

“Those last two holes were a huge bonus,” said Hughes. “The weekend was pretty frustrating for me. I felt like I was playing well enough to shoot some better scores, and it just wasn’t quite happening for me.”

PGA Tour events are not open to spectators in an effort to protect players and fans alike from COVID-19.

So when Hughes drained the impressive breaking putt on No. 17 at TPC at River Highlands, the celebration was limited to a couple of quiet fist pumps as he walked over to his caddie.

Piece of ? pic.twitter.com/MUsWWiNss6

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 29, 2020

“That was a putt that would just make people erupt, the way it was a pretty dramatic putt. It broke 20 feet, went in with perfect speed. That would have been really exciting,” said Hughes. “No. 18 would have been an amphitheater and it would have, again, kind of charged the crowd up.

“It was definitely different to hear crickets when you make some putts, but I was happy nonetheless.”

Hughes is projected to jump up 24 spots in the FedExCup rankings after the top three performance to sit 46th.

Johnson closed with a 3-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Kevin Streelman. Johnson, who extended his career-long season victory streak to 13, last won in Mexico City in March 2019.

“I’m definitely proud of myself for continuing the streak and I want to keep it going,” Johnson said. “It was a long time between wins, though, and, so, hopefully it won’t be that long for the next one.”

Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus each won in 17 consecutive years. Johnson failed to win in 2014, but is given credit for winning in the 2013-14 season from his victory in the fall of 2013 in Shanghai. The tour changed to a wraparound season in 2013.

Johnson tapped in for par on the par-4 18th, raised his ball to acknowledge the smattering of applause from course workers, officials and reporters, the only in-person witnesses allowed because of the coronavirus pandemic.

He finished at 19-under 261 for his 21st PGA Tour title.

Streelman also shot 67.

Streelman, who made seven straight birdies to win at TPC River Highlands in 2014, had a 37-foot birdie try on 18 that ended up just short and right.

He was two strokes behind Johnson on the 17th fairway when the weather horn blew for an hour-long storm delay.

Johnson came out of the delay and hit his tee shot on 16 into a greenside bunker. His second shot went well past the hole and made bogey to cut his lead to a stroke.

“I’ve had a few missed cuts, so to come back and finish a solo second is nice, but to be that close and perform and be right there, I’m just a little disappointed right now,” Streelman said.

Johnson was at 19 under when his tee shot on the par-4 15th went left and came inches from going into the signature lake that surrounds the finishing holes. His first pitch didn’t make it to the green, and he hit the second to 4 feet to save par.

“It was lucky, but a still had to made a good up-and-down to make par,” he said.

Gordon, who has no status on either the PGA Tour or the Korn Ferry Tour, had seven birdies in a 64. His third-place finish was just enough to earn him a special temporary card and unlimited exemptions for the rest of the season.

His lone bogey came on 17, and briefly dropped him to fourth place.

Johnson started the day two strokes behind Brendon Todd, and took the lead after three straight birdies put him at 20 under after 10 holes. Todd shot a 75 to tie for 11th at 13 under. He made a 7 on the par-4 12th.

Bryson DeChambeau shot a 68 to tie for sixth at 15 under. Top-ranked Rory McIlroy tied for 11th at 13 under after a 67.

Roger Sloan of Merritt, B.C., had a 3-over 73 day to finish 66th at even par.

There were seven COVID-19-related withdrawals from the Connecticut event, with two positive tests among players. Cameron champ withdrew Tuesday and Denny McCarthy had a positive test on Friday.

The PGA Tour is making some tweaks to its coronavirus policies as a result of this week’s issues. Players, caddies and anyone else considered “inside the bubble” will have to test negative before being allowed on the grounds of the Detroit Golf Club for the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

INDEX: SPORTS

CROMWELL, Conn. – Brendon Todd and Dustin Johnson each shot career-low 61s at the Travelers Championship on Saturday, leaving Todd with a two-stroke lead over the 2016 U.S. Open champion.

The 34-year-old Georgian, playing a couple holes behind Johnson, had a chance at the tournament’s second 60 of the week but missed a 10-foot putt to the left on the 18th hole.

He finished with a 54-hole score of 192 after shooting 66-65 the first two rounds. Johnson, who is looking for his 21st win on tour, also has improved each day, opening with a 69-64.

Both golfers shot bogey-free rounds, with Todd making five birdies on the front nine and Johnson five on the back. Todd said the round became a game of whatever you can do, I can do just as well.

“It’s hard to miss the leader boards obviously, so (Johnson’s) name was up there from a pretty early point,” Todd said. “Again, I just use it as motivation to go out there and make some more birdies.”

Todd is looking for his third win of the season but his first since the fall, when he went back-to-back at the Bermuda Championship and the Mayakoba Golf Classic in Mexico.

“Whenever I get a two- or three-week stretch in a row, I tend to be playing better by the end of it,” he said. “That’s just something I’m using to my advantage now after missing two cuts. I’m peaking in the third week and hopefully I can get it done tomorrow.”

Despite going 9 under for the day, Johnson lamented missing several birdie chances and and eagle attempt on the par-4 ninth, when his ball stopped six inches from the pin.

Just two of his birdie puts, an 18-footer at the 10th hole and a 21-footer on the 12th, were longer than 9 feet.

“I really felt like I controlled the distance with my irons really well and hit tons of good shots,” he said. “I had a lot of really good looks at birdie.”

Kevin Streelman fired a 63 after two straight rounds of 66 and was just three shots back. Mackenzie Hughes, who led after a 60 on Thursday, shot his second straight 68 for sole possession of fourth place.

“Today if I had putted like I did the first day, I could have shot low 60s for sure,” Hughes said. “Play the same as I did today tee to green and roll in a few putts and it’ll be awesome.”

Off to a good start ? https://t.co/PAimGF2U1Q

— Golf Canada (@GolfCanada) June 27, 2020

Bryson DeChambeau and Kevin Na each shot 65 and were tied for fifth at 197.

Phil Mickelson, who celebrated his 50th birthday last week, began the day with a one-stroke lead but struggled, finishing tied for seventh in a group six shots back. He made just his second bogey of the week on the third hole and also dropped strokes on the seventh and 13th before finishing with a 71.

Mickelson, looking for his 45th win and third on this course, has mostly struggled. He missed the cut in his previous three tournaments.

“I haven’t played great this year,” he said. “I’ve missed a lot of cuts, and the next thing I know my game is starting to come back and I can sense it. I played two great rounds, and this is really a lot of fun.”

Top-ranked Rory McIlroy, who opened the tournament with a 63, said he feels he is too far back to contend for the title after rounds of 68 and 69. He bogeyed two of his final four holes – his tee shot landed in the water on the course’s signature 15th hole and he also made bogey at 18 – to finish in a group eight shots back.

“I guess, if I had have been able to sneak a couple more over the last few holes, get to 14 and then all of a sudden you feel like you’re right in it. But I went the other way those last few holes, and that’s what took me out of it,” he said.

Jason Day requested to be tested for COVID-19 on Saturday morning just before his round. Officials decided to have him play as a single on Saturday as a precautionary measure. He shot a 69 and is 1 under par headed into Sunday.

There have been seven COVID-19-related withdrawals from the Connecticut event.

Two players withdrew because of the coronavirus Friday – Denny McCarthy for a positive test, and Bud Cauley, who tested negative but decided to pull out after playing alongside McCarthy on Thursday.

McCarthy was the third PGA Tour player to test positive for the virus since its restart and the second this week, joining Cameron Champ, who withdrew Tuesday.

Nick Watney withdrew just before the second round of last week’s RBC Heritage Championship. Webb Simpson, Graeme McDowell, Brooks Koepka and his brother Chase also withdrew from the Travelers after coming into contact with people who had the virus.

McDowell and Brooks Koepka’s caddies both tested positive. Simpson cited the positive test of a family member.

The PGA said because of the positive tests this week, players, caddies, and anyone else “inside the bubble,” will not be allowed on the property at future tournaments until first being cleared with a negative test for the coronavirus.

Officials said Saturday that all of the follow-up tests as a result of potential contact with McCarthy came back negative.

The round began early in the day because of threatening weather, with golfers going off both the first and 10th tees. It finished just before the skies opened. A forecast for more rain on Sunday will mean another early start.