Reed Hughes made history at the Sanderson Farms Championship as the oldest player to start a PGA Tour event in 15 years.
With his first appearance dating back 40 years, Hughes, now 71, last played on the tour during the 2007 Zurich Classic.
The last time someone this age teed off was Gary Player at the 2009 Masters. Hughes almost matched his age with an opening score of 76 at Jackson Country Club in Mississippi.
His round was nearly historic; just two bad holes prevented him from matching Arnold Palmer’s feat of shooting his age when Palmer scored a 71 at age 71 in 2001. Those five strokes dropped over two holes also dashed his hopes of making the cut, which would have been a record since Jay Haas did it at age 68 in a team event.
“Pretty special, especially at my age,” Hughes said about his day. “I’ve had a lot of fun, and hopefully I can shoot a little better tomorrow.”
Header Text: A Special Achievement
Hughes earned his spot by winning the Gulf States E-Z-GO Section Championship last year, proving he’s not just there for show. Playing alongside PGA pros after a long break felt surreal for him.
Fans might think it’s amazing how he keeps up with younger players!
“Like I said, it’s just unbelievable,” he shared. “I’m used to riding in a cart and playing faster.”
Back in ’84, Hughes played on the PGA Tour when Ronald Reagan was president and legends like Seve Ballesteros were winning majors.
Though he knows he won’t make the cut this time, he’s eager to improve on his memorable start. He recalled hitting into rough on hole one but managing an impressive par save with a long putt.
“I hit it in the left rough on 1… kept it under… then made the 30-footer for par,” he remembered fondly.
Hughes’ journey is inspiring—what do you think about such determination?
