"It’s just all about the money" - Mackenzie Hughes on the current state of pro golf
Mackenzie Hughes shared his thoughts on the current state of professional golfers in his interview with CBS Sports during the third round of The Genesis Invitational 2024. The PGA Tour event had its third round on Saturday, February 17, where the Canadian golfer joined the aforementioned news outlet's reporters to speak about the dynamic changes in golf.
According to Mackenzie Hughes, golf is more about money nowadays. It's not like how it was a few years ago when players desired to play with the best players. He acknowledged that even supporters had grown upset with the way sports have changed.
Speaking about the current state of golfers, Hughes said:
"It’s just kind of unfortunate in the game right now where it just seems that it’s just all about the money—how much money can I make. Kind of lost the spirit of the game in the process. And it is just never the reason I play on the PGA Tour because I want to make dollars. I want to compete against the best players in the world and make an impact in the communities we play in, and that is the dream.
"And it seems like guys have lost sight of that. And now, we are in a place where... I think fans are generally a little bit fed up with it, to be honest. And those are the people who drive our sport," he added.
A civil war broke out in the golf industry two years ago when several players from the top series in the world joined the Saudi-backed LIV Golf. Professional golfers have divided opinions; some have defended the contentious series, while others have voiced criticism.
In the meantime, the PGA Tour has reached a staggering $3 billion agreement with Strategic Sports Group (SSG), granting its top players a stake in the recently established PGA Tour Enterprises.
Mackenzie Hughes's performance at The Genesis Invitational 2024
Mackenzie Hughes had a smooth start at The Genesis Invitational 2024. He shot 69 in the first round, followed by a round of 65. However, he had trouble with the third round, when he shot 1-over par 72, slipped down to the eight positions and settled in a tie for tenth place. He finished in a tie with Adam Svensson, Adam Hadwin, Beau Hossler and Tom Hoge.
Hughes shot a birdie and a bogey on the front nine and a bogey on the back nine to settle for a score of 72 on Saturday.
Mackenzie Hughes played the first round of 69 with four birdies, four bogeys and an eagle. In the second round, he made five birdies, an eagle and a bogey and scored 65.
Meanwhile, Patrick Cantlay continued to dominate the stellar field of The Genesis Invitational 2024 and extended his lead even after the third round with a score of under 14. Xander Schauffele and Will Zalatoris settled in a tie for second place.