Hughes twice had to made tough par saves on the closing hole at the Country Club of Jackson, Mississippi – in regulation from 30 metres behind the green for a three-under 69 to force a play-off and from a tough spot in a bunker to keep going.

Straka narrowly missed his birdie putt on the second play-off hole from five metres on the fringe.

Hughes hit his approach to two-and-a-half metres and made the winning putt.

The victory comes a week after the Presidents Cup, with Canadian Hughes disappointed not to be included on the International team at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he lives.

He said pre-tournament he wanted to use that as motivation, and it certainly worked out that way.

“I don't know if it's extra fuel, but it was disappointing. I guess you would say it was fuel because I definitely worked a little harder after that ..." - Mackenzie Hughes.

Hughes won for the second time on the PGA Tour – both in a play-off.

“I don't know if it's extra fuel, but it was disappointing,” Hughes said of missing the Presidents Cup after winning this week. “I guess you would say it was fuel because I definitely worked a little harder after that and felt like that was a team I really, really badly wanted to be on, and I felt like I could have been a good help there.

“I totally respected Trevor's decision to go the direction he went, and the team – there wasn't a weak link on that team. There was 12 great players. They had a really tough opponent in the U.S.

“I still cheered like hell for them to pull it off. But I'm definitely motivated for Montreal, and I don't want to have to let that come to a captain's pick next time when that comes around.”

His victory at Sea Island in 2016 did not finish until the Monday morning, and this looked like it might be headed the same way as the light faded.

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Garrick Higgo of South Africa had a four-under 68 to finish third.

Mark Hubbard, who went into the final round with a one-shot lead, managed only two birdies in his round of 74 and tied for fifth.

The final round featured five players who had at least a share of the lead at some point.

They included Emiliano Grillo of Argentina, whose round came undone on the par-5 14th when he took a triple bogey without a penalty shot.

Harrison Endycott was the lone Australian in the field, and failed to make the weekend after finishing at three-over after 36 holes.