SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Keith Mitchell’s U.S. Open began with a wild experience and ended with historic consistency.
He may also qualify for subsequent yr’s Masters.
Mitchell shot 4 consecutive 70s on Sunday, turning into the primary participant in U.S. Open historical past to achieve even par in 4 rounds. He tied for fourth and earned an invite to his first main subsequent yr.
Fairly a reward for a participant who wasn’t even assured going into the weekend on this event after a troublesome begin.
It appeared unimaginable for Mitchell to start out issues off with an even-par first spherical when he stumbled to a 6-over 41 by way of the primary 9 holes. He then shot a 29 on his second shot, turning into the primary participant to attain within the 40s for 9 holes at a U.S. Open, and he additionally scored within the 20s for the subsequent 9 holes.
“I could not have gained, however about two hours into the spherical, I felt like I achieved much more than I believed I may,” Mitchell stated. “You possibly can all the time take into consideration profitable a event, however I feel I gained the week after I began.”
He spent the complete last spherical even–where else? –or 1 beneath. Mitchell reached the crimson with a birdie on the par-5 fifth gap and stayed there till he missed a brief putt properly previous the tenth inexperienced to avoid wasting par.
He shortly bounced again with a birdie on the par-3 eleventh and remained at 1 beneath till his three-putt bogey on the seventeenth.
Some golfers would fortunately join a 280 complete if provided earlier than the U.S. Open. Particularly at Sinek Hills, the place solely three gamers have completed beneath par within the 4 video games since 1986.
It wasn’t sufficient to win this time, however it was sufficient to tie for fourth as Scottie Scheffler missed a birdie on the 18th gap. Had Scheffler executed that, he would have tied Tom Kim for third place and pushed Mitchell and JT Poston right into a tie for fifth.
Mitchell, 34, had his greatest efficiency in a significant and in a PGA Tour begin this season after profitable a 36-hole qualifier in Georgia to earn his technique to Shinekook.
Mitchell, who’s ranked a hundredth on the earth golf rankings, stated he’s used to not figuring out when and the place he’ll play subsequent every week. However now he is aware of he will likely be enjoying within the Masters and the US Open subsequent yr.
“My greatest efficiency up to now within the majors may very well be my greatest efficiency this yr, and it is in a spot like this,” Mitchell stated. “I by no means essentially believed that I used to be. I do not know if it was sufficient, however I used to be capable of accomplish one thing this large. For me proper now, T-4 is a victory in my thoughts.”
