With Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka tied at 8-under par, and readying for a sudden-death playoff, fans were gearing up for a potentially epic playoff between the two superstars. Then unknown Keith Mitchell ruined it all by making a lengthy birdie on the final hole to win by a stroke.
Mitchell, the 162nd ranked golfer in the world, entered PGA National off four recent missed-cuts, but put together the four impressive rounds of 68, 66, 70, and 67 to finish 9-under par and win The Honda Classic – his first PGA Tour victory.
PRO-FILE
Nationality: American
Height: 6′ 1″
Weight: 185 lb
Birthdate: January 7, 1992 (age 27)
Native: Chattanooga, Tennessee
Residence: St. Simons Island, Georgia
College: U of Georgia
Turned Pro: 2014
THE EARLY ROUNDS
ROUND 1
1. Jhonattan Vegas -6
2. Zach Johnson -4
20. Keith Mitchell -2
ROUND 2
1. Sungjae Im -6 (-6)
1. Keith Mitchell -6 (-4)
3. Lucas Glover -5 (-1)
ROUND 3
1. Wyndham Clark -7 (-3)
2. Vijay Singh -6 (-5)
2. Kyoung-Hoon Lee -6 (-2)
2. Keith Mitchell -6 (E)
FINAL SCORES
Pos-Player-To Par (Today)
1 Keith Mitchell -9 (-3)
2 Brooks Koepka -8 (-4)
2 Rickie Fowler -8 (-3)
4 Ryan Palmer -7 (-7)
4 Lucas Glover -7 (-4)
MITCHELL’S STATS
Driving: 305.7 yards (11th)
Fairways: 33/56, 58.9 (54th)
Greens: 45/72, 62.2% (22nd)
Putting: 1.711 (19th)
Scores: 16 Birdies, 49 Pars, 7 Bogeys
2018-19 PGA TOUR SEASON
Starts: 10
Cuts Made: 6
Wins: 1 (The Honda Classic)
Top 10s: 0
Money: $1,587,942 (16th)
Points: 650 (16th)
World Rank: 68
CAREER VICTORIES
PGA Tour: 1
2019 The Honda Classic
MONEY
With his win, Mitchell earned $1,224,000 and 500 FedExCup points to move up to 17th place.
WORLD RANKING
Mitchell received 48 OWGR points and will move inside the top 100 for the first time in his career. He is projected to move to No. 68.
Credits: Getty Images, PGA Tour Media
