Hamilton’s Mackenzie Hughes named 2021 Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year

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Published February 22, 2022 at 6:00 am

Hamilton's Mackenzie Hughes named 2021 Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year
Mackenzie Hughes, of Canada, tees off the third hole during the first round of the Travelers Championship golf tournament at TPC River Highlands, Thursday, June 25, 2020, in Cromwell, Conn. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Professional golfer Mackenzie Hughes won the Bill Sturrup award as 2021 Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year.

The 31-year-old Dundas native beat out a pair of Hamiltonians for the award — Canadian keeper Milan Borjan and Edmonton Oilers defenseman Darnell Nurse.

Hughes ranked 11th in the FedEx Cup PGA Tour standings after four top-10 finishes in 2021. The Highland Secondary School graduate also represented Canada at the Tokyo Olympics — finishing fifth.

Mackenzie Hughes 2021 highlights:

• Four top-10 finishes in the 2021 calendar year (second at the RSM Classic, tied for fourth at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP, tied for sixth at The Open
Championship, tied for ninth at the World Golf Championships-Dell Technologies Match Play)
• Qualified for FedExCup Playoffs for the third consecutive season, and advanced to the BMW Championship
• Finished 67th in FedExCup standings
• Represented Canada at the Tokyo Olympics, placing 50th
• Second-place finish at the RSM Classic moved him into the top-40 in the World Golf Ranking, guaranteeing appearances in all majors, World Championship events and The Players Championship in 2022
• Finished 2021 ranked 11th in FedEx Cup standings

Borjan, meanwhile, backstopped Serbia’s Red Star Belgrade to its fourth consecutive SuperLiga title in 2021 before elevating Canada to first-place in the final stage of FIFA World Cup Qualifying.

Nurse was named an alternate captain for the Oilers in 2021. He was also among the top NHL defensemen in several statistical categories and saw more ice time in the 2021 playoffs than any other league blueliner at 38:39 per game.

The Golden Horseshoe Athlete of the Year is presented annually at the C.Y.O Children’s Fundraiser in Hamilton. Past recipients include Kia Nurse, Laura Fortino, Mackenzie Hughes, Melissa Tancredi, Ryan Ellis, Kyle Quinlan, Jesse Lumsden, and Joanne Malar.

Since 1995, the Bill Sturrup Award has recognized the top athlete of the year in the Burlington and Greater Hamilton Areas.

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