Mitchell outduels two of golf’s biggest names at Honda Classic for first PGA Tour win

OK, he has never won a PGA Tour event before in his life. Not even close. In fact, he missed the cut in his last two PGA Tour outings.

So, on Sunday, Keith Mitchell made his way down the final holes of the Honda Classic in a surprising situation, battling two of golf’s biggest names, Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler for the Honda Classic title.

Most of the fans getting a glimpse of Mitchell traipsing down those holes would look at him, see the name Keith Mitchell on his caddie’s jersey, and more often than not ask anyone who was listening, “Who the heck is Keith Mitchell?”

Mitchell now has their answer. He is the 2019 Honda Classic champion after calmly rolling in a 15 1/2-foot putt for birdie on the 556-yard, par-5 final hole.

Mitchell easily summed up his victory: “It was awesome,” he said. “I wish I could come up with a better word than that, but that’s what it was.

“Everybody dreams about having that putt on the 18th hole to win a tournament,” Mitchell continued. “I had it today, and fortunately I was able to capitalize. Just awesome.”

As they say in the movie Caddyshack, “It’s a Cinderella story.”

The victory on the Champion Course at PGA National Resort & Spa wasn’t easy for Mitchell, but that makes it even more satisfying. To win, he birdied four of the last seven holes to eke out his one-stroke triumph. The tournament was high entertainment for the fans as players maneuvered for position in the final holes. At one point during the final five holes, six players were tied for the lead.

Mitchell, 27, who played college golf at the University of Georgia, finished the four-day tournament at 68-66-70-67 for a 9-under 271 total. Koepeka came in at 67-69-70-66 and Fowler at 67-72-66-67, both one shot back at 272.

“I’ve always wanted to win,” Mitchell said. “I’ve dreamed about winning. Just sitting here . . . it’s amazing.”

Mitchell was more than happy to describe his winning putt. “I had that chance [the putt] on No. 18 and it was tough . . . to focus just on your putt and just on the break and just on the read. You know what’s on the line but I was able to do it. I hit a great putt.”

Mitchell admitted he might have looked up to see the putt rolling a little too soon.

“I might have early-looked that putt,” he said. “But it looked good so early.”

At that point, Mitchell started walking toward the hole as the ball was about to drop in.

“I kind of stepped it too soon,” he said. “But it was the best I’ve ever hit, and under those circumstances . . . it was cool.”

Fowler was more than ready to give credit where credit was due, and that was to Mitchell.

“I know what Keith was going through on the last holes,” Fowler said. “It’s not easy winning out here, especially your first. So seeing him make that putt, it’s neat. I know the feeling. All you can do is sit back, smile, congratulate him. I’m sure he’s pretty pumped.

“Obviously, I’m happy for Keith. You can’t fake it around this place, so he went out and got the job done. He earned it.”

Koepka, a three-time major champion (U.S. Open, 2017, 2018; PGA Championship 2018), thought about what might have been.

“I came pretty close,” he said. “I just made a couple of bad swings every day, and that’s what really, really cost me.”

The fans got their money’s worth, according to Koepka.

“It was a good tournament,” he said. “Two of the bigger names were coming down the stretch and having a chance to win. Hopefully, the fans enjoyed that because it was fun.”

Koepka has never won the Honda, a tournament that means a lot to him because he grew up in the Palm Beach area, attending Cardinal Newman High.

“Got a bunch of friends, family out there and it’s always nice to have them there watching,” Koepka. said.

This story was originally published March 3, 2019 at 8:07 PM.