As attention focused on the United States and Europe throughout the week, a Canadian golfer became the primary subject of discussion Thursday at the 2025 Procore Championship. Mackenzie Hughes briefly flirted with a 59 during the opening round at Silverado Resort, ultimately concluding with a 9-under 63, which positioned him one stroke ahead of Matt McCarty and Ben Griffin at the commencement of the FedEx Cup Fall tournament.
“I truly managed to build momentum, especially on the front nine,” Hughes commented. “As I approached the turn, I sensed that things were progressing favorably. I felt confident with my putting, so it was simply a matter of sustaining the pressure and advancing forward. … It was a splendid day, undeniably enhanced by strong putting.”
Hughes impressively sunk nine birdies across his initial 13 holes and confronted two par 5s on the return, presenting an opportunity for an even more remarkable score. Nevertheless, the Canadian golfer recorded a couple of bogeys in contrast to a couple of birdies, maintaining his 9-under score and moving nearer to the top 60 in FedEx Cup Fall, a position that would secure his participation in the initial two signature events of the 2026 season.
Representing Keegan Bradley’s U.S. Ryder Cup team, Griffin and Russell Henley displayed strong performances on Thursday, though the day’s commencement suggested otherwise. The victor of the Arnold Palmer Invitational commenced his Procore Championship journey with successive bogeys, alongside U.S. Open champion J.J. Spaun and PGA Championship and Open victor Scottie Scheffler.
“I haven’t spent considerable time playing alongside Scottie, but it was enjoyable … and I believe that’s Keegan’s intention, to foster familiarity among everyone,” Spaun explained. “He’s cognizant that I haven’t played with him extensively. Regardless of the ultimate pairings, the goal is to establish comfort playing with each other. However, I recently played with him and performed well. It’s advantageous to play with him, glean insights, and simultaneously feel at ease.”
Henley’s slow start seemingly ignited a response, as the reliable right-hander secured 10 birdies—four consecutively following the bogey-bogey start—culminating in a 7-under 65. Griffin surpassed this achievement on the back nine, logging five birdies on the concluding holes.
Meanwhile, Spaun endeavored to maintain pace with his U.S. teammate, achieving a 67, whereas the world No. 1 surprisingly lagged behind in the threesome. Scheffler generally maintained his typical level of play from tee to green but encountered difficulties on the greens, where he lost ground in relation to the field.
This resulted in an initial 70 for Scheffler, effectively ending his streak of sub-70 rounds. Scheffler had equaled Patrick Cantlay’s record of 21 consecutive low rounds at the conclusion of the Tour Championship, marking the lengthiest such sequence in the modern era.
“Overall, I found the day rather frustrating,” Scheffler admitted. “I believe I executed certain aspects effectively, but the corresponding reward was lacking. That essentially encapsulates my experience.”
Regarding other noteworthy performances, Sahith Theegala and Akshay Bhatia both delivered commendable rounds with matching 68s, a particularly encouraging sign for Theegala following a 2025 season marred by injuries. The remaining members of the U.S. Ryder Cup team generally remained around even par, with Cantlay, Collin Morikawa, and Harris English concluding their initial 18 holes where they initiated the tournament.
