Canada’s Mackenzie Hughes with a 63 leads at Myrtle Beach

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Mackenzie Hughes of Canada birdied his last four holes Friday for an 8-under 63, giving him a one-shot lead after the first round of the Myrtle Beach Classic.

The winner of the PGA Tour event — held opposite a signature event at the Truist Championship this week — gets a spot in the PGA Championship if not already eligible.

That’s not the case for Hughes or two of the players one shot behind him — Seamus Power and Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark — both already in the field next week at Quail Hollow.

Will Chandler also shot 64. He has yet to qualify for the PGA Championship.

Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., finished with a flurry, making five birdies over the last six holes. He is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour, though it has been more than two years since his last title.

He felt like his putting has let him down in recent week, so he changed up his routine by being quicker and more instinctive on the greens.

“Putted nicely today,” he said. “Then at the end there I kind of caught fire. I can’t remember the last time I birdied the last four holes. But it’s definitely a nice finish.”

The group at 66 included 44-year-old Nick Watney, who hasn’t won in 13 years, and 17-year-old Blades Brown in his first year as a pro.

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf