SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Mackenzie Hughes took the high road on Saturday at the WM Phoenix Open, shrugging off a prank perpetrated by an internet streamer during Friday’s second round at TPC Scottsdale.
MORE: Tour players weigh visiting Scottsdale’s 16th hole if they were fans
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Known for stunts and pranks that he streams on social media, Jack Doherty offered to pay a spectator $100 to yell “jackass” in the middle of Mackenzie’s backswing as the Canadian player was about to hit his second shot out of a fairway bunker on the 18th hole. The random fan accepted the offer and yelled at Mackenzie as he began his backswing.
Fortunately for Mackenzie, he was only taking a rehearsal swing when the man shouted at him. He backed away, and Mackenzie’s caddie, Julien Trudeau, approached the gallery rope line and identified the man and Doherty to security. Police stepped in as well, and both Doherty and the unidentified fan were ejected from the tournament grounds. PGA Tour security official Steve Olson subsequently informed Doherty that he was banned from all future tour events and would be charged with trespassing if he attempted to attend another tournament.
Hughes, after a two-under 69 on Saturday, shrugged off the incident as “part of this tournament a little bit,” referring to the rowdy atmosphere on parts of the course, primarily on the par-3 16th hole played in a temporary arena.
“You know, heard that, and then called security and they got the guys quickly, and then I hit my shot, and that was it,” he said. “It happens at this tournament sometimes, and it’s not a big deal. This many people and alcohol, I mean, things happen. I feel like it’s not much of a story.”
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The timing of the incident actually was fortuitous, with Hughes only rehearsing his swing. “I was over my shot, and I do, like a free swing, like waggle, and that kind of saved me because the person yelled on my waggle. So I was kind of going to stop anyways.
“I hit a nice shot still, so that was nice,” he added about his approach from 160 yards that settled 25 feet from the pin. He two-putted for par to finish off a 69. He’ll begin Sunday’s final round tied for 20th place at seven-under 206.
A two-time tour winner, Hughes, 35, said he doesn’t know the prankster who put the fan up to yelling at him or why he was singled out. He had never heard of Doherty, 22, who has millions of followers on Instagram and other platforms. Hughes spoke to PGA Tour security personnel afterward and was satisfied with the response. He did see the video later, and his reaction was simply, “I didn’t lose any sleep over it.”
Apparently, Doherty has. Backlash to his actions apparently has been so brutal that he felt compelled to double down on his “harmless prank” and recorded a 45-second video for all the people “hating on him.” He accused those who criticized and then advised everyone to—get this!—“grow up.”
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Hughes said that some of his fellow players have reached out to him. But not to express sympathy.
“Yeah, had a few people, like, kind of poking fun of me a little bit, calling me, you know, ‘Jack, you-know-what.’ It’s fine. I’m just a nice Canadian.”
A grown-up one, too.