MIAMI – Keith Mitchell overcame three bogeys on the front nine and fired a sensational eagle on the final hole to take a two-stroke lead after the third round of the PGA Valspar Championship on March 23.
The American, who is chasing only his second career title after a 2019 win at the Honda Classic, drilled a superb iron from the fairway from around 150 yards into the hole for an eagle two on the par-four 18th.
That was the final act of a barnstorming finish by the 32-year-old journeyman, who also collected birdies on the 16th and 17th holes to go vaulting up the leaderboard.
His eagle on the last completed a five-under round of 66, leaving him alone at the top of the leaderboard on 10-under 203 after 54 holes at Innisbrook’s Copperhead course in Palm Harbour, Florida.
Irishman Seamus Power, Canadian Mackenzie Hughes and American Peter Malnati are lurking two shots off the lead on eight under.
Mitchell’s closing eagle came as a surprise to the world No. 72, who got something in his eye after making the shot and did not see the ball land.
“When I looked up something kind of flew in my eye, so I kind of looked away and never saw it come down and land, but I knew when I hit it, I was pleased with the contact,” he said.
“I wasn’t going to be able to see it go in the hole anyway, but I didn’t even see it come down next to the flag.”
His lone PGA Tour victory came against a top-class field, with Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler finishing runners-up by one shot. At the time, Mitchell believed that the breakthrough win would be the first of many. Instead, he has endured a five-year drought.
“I think I got my win early and felt like I could win more. Unfortunately, that’s a really high expectation out here,” he said.
“Hopefully, I can continue to work on the right things, maybe even add some more stuff into my practice so that I can just put myself in contention more often. The more you’re in contention, the better chance you have to win.”
Mitchell had given no clue that he was ready to mount a charge earlier in his third round.
Two birdies and three bogeys in seven holes on the front nine left him one over at the turn, before his round caught fire down the stretch. He became the first golfer in the history of the event to play the Snake Pit (Nos. 16-18) at four under.
He chipped in for birdie on the par-four 12th and then another pinpoint chip on the par-five 14th left him with a short birdie putt, which he duly converted before his birdie-birdie-eagle finish.
Power and Malnati stayed in touch with 68s to end alongside Hughes, who carded a 69.
Power recorded four birdies against a bogey in his attempt to become the first international winner at Valspar since Englishman Paul Casey’s back-to-back wins in 2018 and 2019.
“I haven’t really seen much of a leaderboard, don’t watch too much of ‘em, but it is tough to get a low one out there. No matter how well you played, it was going to be tough to get much better than four, five under, I thought. It’s tough to get away from the pack, so it’s going to be some guys in with a chance,” Power said.
Three players – Americans Cameron Young (68), Brendon Todd (70) and Chandler Phillips (70) – are three off the lead on seven under. AFP, REUTERS
