If anyone benefited from Jon Rahm’s move to LIV Golf, it was Mackenzie Hughes, as it allowed him to break into the Top 50 of the FedEx Cup rankings. However, Hughes recently stated that he would have preferred the Spaniard to still play on the PGA Tour.

Hughes was also one of the players who let his opinion be heard about what Rahm’s decision represented. The Canadian used his X (formerly Twitter) account to express his sadness about men’s professional golf.

Recently, in an interview with the Toronto Sun, Mackenzie Hughes addressed this and other issues, saying:

“I probably had the most to gain from what Jon did. I went from 51st to 50th, yet I still would have rathered him not do it for the sake of the game. When he left it was significant, it was a big moment in golf, it was a terrible scene with him going on TV after his decision. I just felt like this is not the right direction for the game even though I had a lot to gain.”

Mackenzie Hughes was ranked 51st in the FedEx Cup rankings when Jon Rahm announced his signing with LIV Golf. This resulted in the Spaniard being banned from the PGA Tour and the Canadian taking his place in the Top 50.

After this move, Hughes secured his full membership on the circuit through the 2024 season and qualified for all Signature Events of the season.

How did Mackenzie Hughes do at the Valspar Championship?

Mackenzie Hughes began the fourth round of the 2024 Valspar Championship tied for second with Seamus Powers, two strokes behind the leader. At the 14th hole of the final round, he is tied for fourth with a score of 8 under, three strokes behind the leaders.

The Canadian played his first round with a score of 68, thanks to an eagle, four birdies, a bogey, and a double bogey. He repeated his score in the second round with an eagle, two birdies, and a bogey.

On the moving day, Hughes had four birdies and two bogeys for a score of 70, while in the fourth round, he had four birdies and four bogeys through the 14th.

The Valspar Championship is Hughes’ eighth tournament of the 2024 season. In the previous seven, he has made six cuts with a T25 at The Sentry as his best finish.

Hughes, 33, is in his seventh season on the PGA Tour, where he has played 202 events with 118 cuts made. His best results include two victories (2016 The RSM Classic, 2022 Sanderson Farms Championship), as well as 18 other Top 10s.