It may only be March but Mackenzie Hughes could already lay claim to the luckiest break of the year after his slice of good fortune during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Hughes, who came into the PGA Tour's fourth Signature Event of the season off the back of a win at the stacked annual Seminole Pro-Member on Monday, found himself in the right rough off the tee at Bay Hill's third hole.
His second shot, however, seemed destined for trouble as his ball headed directly for the water left off the green. The 33-year-old, though, received a remarkable dose of luck as his ball not only bounced off the rocks but came to rest just five feet from the hole.
Talk about a lucky break.
Off the rocks!@MacHughesGolf gets the lucky break of the day @APInv. pic.twitter.com/bpB6Pub5F9March 7, 2024
Despite the good fortune, though, Hughes could not take full advantage, rolling the birdie putt past the hole and forced to settle for a par.
Perhaps it was payback for his rotten bit of luck at the Mexican Open where the Canadian found himself on top of a storm drain during the opening round. He managed to get up and down to save his par on that occasion, mind.
The rest of Hughes' first round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational didn't quite go to plan either. Following the par on three, the World No. 82 bogeyed the 4th and 7th to make the turn two over par.
Further bogeys at 11 and 14 were met with a much-needed birdie at the par-five 16th, but a three-over-par 75 leaves Hughes with plenty of work to do on Friday to make the cut in Florida.
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