MacIntyre pulls ahead of pack at Canadian Open, Canada's Hughes tied for 2nd

Mackenzie Hughes is having fun, he really is. He's just trying to stay focused as he chases the RBC Canadian Open title.

Shouts of "atta boy Mac!," "Let's go Canada!" and "We got you, Mac!" rang across Hamilton Golf and Country Club on Saturday as Hughes shot a 3-under 67 to sit in a tie for second with New Zealand's Ryan Fox and American Ben Griffin. All three are trying to catch Scotland's Robert MacIntyre, who shot a 4-under 66 to build a four-shot lead heading into the final round of Canada's men's golf championship.

"I never get cheered for like this really ever, because when I'm playing in the U.S., I'm pretty much a nobody," said Hughes, who is from Dundas, Ont., just eight kilometres away from the course. "Being here at home you feel like they're really pulling you across the line.

"I made a putt on 10 and it was just like, it was like chills. The putt went in, the crowd went nuts, and just some of those moments and things I felt I'll remember for a long time."

If Hughes can catch MacIntyre in the final round it will be the first time in 110 years that Canadians have won the men's national golf championship in back-to-back years.

Nick Taylor of Abbotsford, B.C., ended a 69-year drought at the home open at Toronto's Oakdale Golf and Country Club in 2023.

As long a wait as it was for a Canadian to win the national title — Pat Fletcher was the last to do it in 1954 — it has been even longer since Canadians won it in consecutive years. Albert Murray (1913) and Karl Keffer (1914) were the last homegrown back-to-back champs.

Hughes has said all week that he's trying to shelve any pressure to keep the title in Canada and just stay present when he's on the course, even as the crowd is very vocally in his corner.

"For me, it's about not trying too hard, not forcing things," he said. "For the most part I would say I did a pretty good job.

"There were a few things I would like to do over again, but, yeah, for the most part playing near the lead in your National Open I felt like I did a pretty good job handling everything and kept myself within distance for tomorrow."

WATCH | Hughes in striking distance headhing in final round: 

At the hockey-themed No. 13 hole, dubbed The Rink because of the hockey boards surrounding the tee box, Hughes did allow himself to get personal. For a second time at the tournament he pulled on the hockey jersey of family friend Bill Bath, who died April 23.

"I just feel like he was a huge part of my life and my journey to this point," said Hughes of Bath, who caddied for him in 2019 when the Canadian Open was last in Hamilton. "We walked these hills the last time I was here and it's just nice to kind of keep him out there with me, if you will.

"I know we're in the midst of a lot of chaos and competitiveness on that Rink hole and it's actually a super hard shot with like a 6-iron or 5-iron, but there are bigger things than golf and he was a really close friend of mine and I'm thinking about him a lot."