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Keith Mitchell
Keith Mitchell
Born: 7 January 1992
Birthplace: Chattanooga, Tennessee, USA
College: University of Georgia
Resides: St Simons Iisland, Georgia, USA
Major Wins: 0
Euro or PGA Tour Wins : 1
Other Wins: 0
Grass Preference: Bermuda
Significant Life Events: No
GBC Wind Performance Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
GBC Pressure Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
BIO
Keith won his maiden PGA Tour title at the 2019 Honda Classic. Having turned pro in 2014, Keith played the web.com Tour (now Korn Ferry Tour) for several years before graduating to the PGA Tour in 2018. Long and aggressive off the tee, he's a fine wind player.
He had an inconsistent 2021 but di post three top 5's.
Keith has openly stated that he plays poorly on the golf courses on America's West Coast due to the greens being predominantly Poa Annua grass. He has stated he finds it incredibly difficult to putt on and he is much more comfortable putting on Bermuda.
Significant info
Keith is good friends with J.T. Poston on tour.
Pressure Performance Analysis
Summary
Keith has little experience of being in contention on the PGA Tour as most of his best finishes have come from off the pace. Given his lack of experience front running he'll probably win again from off the pace. His Golf Betting Club Pressure Performance Rating is set to ⭐⭐⭐for the time being.
October 2021
➖ Began 4 shots behind Fowler and shot 67 to finish 3 shots behind McIlroy.
July 2021
➖ Began 4 shots back at the 3M Open and shot 68 to finish 3 shots off Cameron Champ.
May 2021
❌ Keith held a one shot lead through 54 holes at the Wells Fargo Championship. A nervous 72 saw him slip to 3rd and he lost out by two shots.
March 2019
✅ Began the final round 1 shot off the lead at the Honda Classic and shot a final round 67 which included a 15ft birdie putt at the last to take the title outright. It should be noted that he defeated Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka that day.
September 2017
❌ Held the 36 hole lead at the Nationwide Children's Hospital Championship but shot 70-73 (73 was the worst score of anyone in the top 20 on the final day) over the weekend to lose out by 5
Trends
Unpredictable
Three top 5's in 2021 followed best finishes of 69th. Keith's win in 2019 and his 2nd place and 3rd place finishes in 2018 all came after poor results in his previous tournament. His sole top 10 in 2020 came after a missed cut. Given his strong dislike of Poa Annu greens, Keith can often be playing well but just putting horribly and a change to his favoured Bermuda brings out the best in him.
Avoid When Playing Here
Given his dislike for Poa Annua, back against Keith in January and February at the events on the West Coast of America which have this grass type.
Wind Expert
Won at Honda, a notoriously windy event and two top 10's at Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Events to back Mitchell
Sony Open
Top 20's here in 2019 and 2021 and on his favoured Bermuda greens.
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Back to back top 10's here in 2019 and 2020 and doesn't mind the wind.
Playoff Record
0-1.
Keith has only ever been in one playoff and lost but that was back in 2015 on the PGA Tour Latin America. He's now a more accomplished player.
Significant Quotes
2021 Sony Open
Q. Debunking the theory you can't follow a low number with another low number, 62 yesterday, 63 today. What has clicked the last two days?
KEITH MITCHELL: Definitely my putting. I changed a lot in terms of just -- really changed probably everything about my putting. I putted horrible -- just trying to get over my putts and take one look and hit it. I was trying too hard, trying to be perfect. I love bermuda greens, so just going back to my old feels and trusting them.
2020 Honda Classic
Q. Comment a little bit about your season up to this point, making your 11th start of the year.
KEITH MITCHELL: I've always felt like this was my good stretch, I guess, because I grew up on the Bermuda greens. I grew up in this part of the country playing golf, so I'm a little bit more comfortable here. Felt like I've had an okay start at the beginning of the year. Got to go to Maui for the first time, which was great, and played decent in Sea Island, where I live.
Q. The putter has been cooperating, too, numbers look good there. Nice to be back on Bermuda?
KEITH MITCHELL: I love Bermuda. I'm sorry, I hate poa annua so much I can't even see straight. Thankfully the first event back on Bermuda. I'm playing every Bermuda event we've got this year.
2019 Honda Classic
Q. Aside from the changing grass, coming down to Florida after missing the last two cuts, what's been the difference maker this tournament?
KEITH MITCHELL: Well, it's definitely the grass. It's Bermuda. I grew up on Bermuda. I know how to putt it. I know how to read it. It's definitely helped a lot. I've worked pretty hard with my putting coach Paul Vizanko, and he really helped me with my stroke, and out on the West Coast it looked great but I wasn't making anything, and I just have a tough time reading poa annua greens, and here in Florida it's just a lot better for me.
2018 Players Championship
"I'm more of an aggressive player..........But to make a lot of birdies you've got to play aggressively, and on the Web.com you had to shoot 20-plus under a lot of times, so you learn to play more aggressively. So if you're hitting it well out here you can do it on the PGA Tour, but the problem is your mistakes are just magnified. So we've got to be careful out here."
