Canadian duo looking to turn things around
Hughes, Sloan hope to find their rhythm at Torrey Pines after slow start to season
Canadians Mackenzie Hughes and Roger Sloan are both hoping the challenge of Torrey Pines can energize a slow start to the PGA Tour season.
Hughes begins play on Thursday at the Farmers Insurance Open having missed six of eight cuts this season. Coming off a European vacation with family in late summer, the native of Hamilton had slightly lower expectations for the tour’s fall series, but a week into the West Coast swing, he’s still looking for his first top-50 result.
“A little bit of that is rust, working my way into the year,” Hughes said on Wednesday at Torrey Pines. “I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want better results at this point, but it is what it is. My game honestly feels really good, so I’m not hitting the panic button at all. I know I’ve got lots of events ahead of me and I just need to keep working hard and good things will happen.”
Every golfer knows that confidence plays a large role in success, and at times for Hughes, staying positive is key. But during a rough patch. that isn’t always so easy to do.
“It can be hard at times, I just have to keep reminding myself that there’s lots of golf left, and when I get going, I can get pretty hot,” Hughes said. “I’ve got a good support system around me. I’ve just got to keep pounding away and get it turned around soon.”
Sloan has also missed six of eight cuts to start the season, but golf hasn’t been the No. 1 priority for him and wife Casey, who recently welcomed their second child, a son named Jude, into the family.
“We just went from double team coverage to man-to-man,” Sloan said. “It’s more challenging but also more rewarding.”
The 32-year-old golfer does have a T13 under his belt at the Safeway Open in September, and he isn’t worried about his game.
“I haven’t been playing terrible, just kind of got caught in the wind that first day in Hawaii, and as a result missed the cut by two. And I hit a little bit of a cold putter in the desert last week and missed the cut by two there,” Sloan said.
“It’s just such a fine line out here. We’re doing the right things but ... there’s no better time to get things rolling than here at Torrey Pines.”
Hughes agrees it’s a very fine line between success and missed cuts on the PGA Tour, and it’s often difficult to determine what the difference is. Hughes believes it begins with getting into the rhythm of the golf season.
“It’s hard to describe, it’s an intangible thing,” Hughes said. “Once you start playing more, you pick up that scoring ability and turn that 72 into a 69, but it’s something that I can’t really put a finger on.”
THERE’S NO CRYING IN GOLF!
It seems to be the year of the baby in Canadian men’s golf.
Roger and Casey Sloan gave daughter Leighton a new brother named Jude, while Adam Hadwin and Nick Taylor each welcomed their first child. Hadwin’s wife Jessica recently announced daughter Maddox to the world on social media, and Taylor and wife Andie had a boy named Charlie in late November.
“I’m willing and waiting for them to ask for advice,” Sloan said. “I feel like I’m a fountain of parental guidance.”
Sloan finds that life gets a little lonely on the PGA Tour without his family. Casey and Leighton are usually with Sloan week to week, but the golfer has been flying solo for a while since the birth of Jude. That changes this week.
“The whole family is going to come out tomorrow,” Sloan said on Wednesday. “Casey’s coming out, Jude and Leighton are making the trip, so it’s going to be good. We’re going to do this week and next week in Phoenix. It’s challenging being out here by myself while the kids are growing up, so we decided we have to hit the road all together.”
THUMBS UP FOR TORREY PINES
Torrey Pines has been getting rave reviews from pros so far this week. Perhaps they’re just happy to get away from the bad weather in Hawaii (you don’t write that sentence too often).
“I’ve played well here in the past and the golf courses suit my eye very well,” Hughes said. “They’re right in front of you. No tricks. really. I love this place, the property is amazing. It’s hard to beat.”
The seaside vistas of this 36-hole municipal golf facility perched high above the Pacific are as pretty as any in the world. The difficult South course will play host to next year’s U.S. Open.
“I think it’s great,” said Sloan. “I think the strength of field this week showcases what this golf course is all about . ...
“So it’s a great spot to start the year. I remember watching this tournament on TV growing up and Tiger Woods was usually in contention, and that kind of signified the start of golf season for me as a Canadian.”