Hughett holds on to win Woodyard Senior Invitational

The organizers of the Woodyard Senior Invitational in Pooler, Ga., have to be wondering, ‘What’s with all these Oklahomans?’

A year after Dr. Jon Valuck of Oklahoma City won the amateur event at the Greg Norman-designed Savannah Quarters, Mike Hughett of Owasso did the same, shooting rounds of 69-67-76 to prevail by two strokes over Stevie Cannady of Pooler.

Hughett was cruising with a six-shot lead nearing the midway point of the final round before a 45-minute rain delay ensured with Hughett facing a birdie putt on the eighth hole. Somewhere in the delay Hughett misplaced his swing. When play resumed he double bogeyed both par-5s on the back nine, hitting a shot out of bounds on both, and nearly hit two others out of bounds. He did make two birdies and still had a three-shot lead coming into the par-5 17th, where his second OB drive happened. Cannady split the fairway, knocked his second shot on the green and made eagle, a four-shot swing that put him one shot ahead going to 18.

The tables turned there, as Cannady was the one to hit his drive out of bounds while Hughett made a solid par for the two-shot victory. Two other Oklahomans in the field, Brad Kropp of Edmond and Kirk Wright of Oklahoma City, tied for 11th.

Until the delay, Hughett had been playing stellar golf. He polished off the second-round 67 with four consecutive birdies, with the longest putt being 10 feet.

“I played very well and that late run turned a good round into a great round,” Hughett said. “That’s really what allowed me to win the tournament.”

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