'This is nuts': US Open contender bombs out in 'horrible' scenes
Mackenzie Hughes was left cursing his misfortune in the final round of the US Open as a bizarre piece of misfortune saw his chances nosedive at Torrey Pines.
The Canadian went into the final round with a share of the lead and got himself back into contention after a shaky first nine holes in San Diego.
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The overnight co-leader bogeyed three of his first six holes, but birdied Nos. 7 and 9 to sit two back with nine to play at Torrey Pines South.
After a par at the 10th, Hughes suffered arguably the worst break of any player at the tournament after skewing his tee shot left of the fairway at the long par-three 11th.
Spectators in the gallery took cover as the ball was sailing towards them but it never ended up nestling anywhere next to them on the ground.
After a few moments of uncertainty it became clear that the ball had come down onto the cart path, before bouncing up and lodging itself in a nearby tree.
Hughes was able to identify his ball and take the penalty stroke but ended up making a double bogey-5 to drop to 2 under par, with his rivals taking advantage to push ahead.
The horror break for the Canadian left viewers in disbelief on social media.
That is Mackenzie Hughes’ ball stuck in the tree.
Horrible break. #USOpen #USOpengolf pic.twitter.com/lmwcaucg3I— Lukas Weese (@Weesesports) June 20, 2021
Mackenzie Hughes was in contention at the U.S. Open on Sunday.
Then this happened. https://t.co/wdRKRYsHlP— For The Win (@ForTheWin) June 20, 2021
Extraordinary, Mackenzie Hughes hits a ball into the tree, it bounces off the ground and up again and stays in the tree second time round. Struggling to remember one like it! 😂😂 #usopen
— Aidan Dulohery (@aidanous) June 20, 2021
Mackenzie Hughes just hit a ball that hit stayed up in a tree. And that was only about the fifth craziest thing that’s happened in the last half hour. This is nuts. #USOpen
— Mike Greenberg (@Espngreeny) June 20, 2021
NOW A BALL STUCK IN THE TREE! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HAPPENING?!
— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) June 20, 2021
Contenders fall in final round drama
Hughes' hiccup became a common theme in the final round at Torrey Pines as one by one, the leading contenders fell by the wayside.
Collin Morikawa chopped his way through the rough on the 13th for a double bogey, while Rory McIlroy had a shot plug into the side of a bunker at the 12th that saw him suffer a double bogey as well.
Bryson DeChambeau rocketed into the lead after an impressive front nine but came unstuck on the turn, with a double bogey at the 13th typifying his struggles.
DeChambeau was tied for the lead after 10 holes. He was four shots behind three holes later.
It essentially came down to two-horse race between Jon Rahm and Louis Oosthuizen, who traded turns to lead in a chaotic final round.
Rahm finished with back-to-back birdies to take the clubhouse lead at six-under with Oosthuizen one shot back with three holes to play.
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