Palm Harbor, Florida – Keith Mitchell prospered in a hard wind on a hard copper course in Innisbrook until he dropped two shots at the end of his round and had to settle for a 67 under 67 years old and on the one hand five -way in the advance in the Valspar championship.
The gusts were sometimes in the 30 MPH beach. The rain broke the players in the afternoon during a brief shower. And the course already has the reputation of one of the best tests in the PGA Tour.
For Mitchell, it was timing. He expected his part of Bogeys one day like this. He just stung a little more to be 6 sous, in the fairway on the fifth par-5 just 90 meters from the hole, and must be satisfied with a 67.
This dropped him into a share of the head with Stephan Jaeger, Jacob Bridgeman, Ricky Castillo and Sami Valimaki. Only 21 players broke 70 with the potential of another, Kevin Velo, who was 2 years old under 17 holes when the game was suspended by darkness.
Velo can appreciate what Mitchell felt. He was without Bogey, tied for the head, until his day ended with consecutive bogeys.
Mitchell had a bit of Birdie just inside 50 feet on the eighth par-3, his 17th of the day, when he left him at 10 feet short and three strokes for Bogey. He then traveled a strong wind on the right right on the ninth climb, went just over the back and finished with a Bogey.
“It’s crazy to say that you left it there when there is wind,” said Mitchell. “I don’t mean that because you are going to make mistakes, you will hit plans you want you to have or putts you had.
“But you remove these two (Bogeys) from La Ronde and sprinkle them elsewhere (and) I feel good.”
Xander Schauffele has shown some improvement in his third consecutive tournament since he was two months absent with a coast injury. He dropped a few shots like everyone else – three of his four Bogeys on the 3S – and opened with a 70.
Justin Thomas was released in 40 years in the afternoon and played hard until the end, without Bogey on the nine from back to save a 73. It was a better blow than Jordan Spieth, who won in Innisbrook 10 years ago during his road to a Masters green jacket. Spieth struck only two fairways through 13 holes until its last five is the last five in regulations.
Ball striking, the conditions hurt Spieth, JT in d. 1
Central Golf summarizes the first round performance for Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas at the Valspar championship, discussing the combination of the current form and the difficult conditions that led to difficulties.
He has three 18 feet blows for Bogey on the 17th and made a 5 -foot step on the 18th for 74.
Mitchell has mixed feelings about Innisbrook, a course he loves but which gives him bad memories. He had an advance of two shots in the final round a year ago before a wild end tour when he only sneak in the 14th hole and pulled 77.
“I still think about it,” said Mitchell. “It is always definitely in my mind and I want it to stay there because, hope it, so that the rest of my career motivates me to remember what it is that when you let this kind of nerves annoy you. A tour like today looks like this. ”
The others at 67 joined late. Jaeger, who defends his title next week in the Houston Open, has sneaked his last two holes. Bridgeman started Bogey-Bogey and joined a 32 on the nine front, starting with an eagle on the opening hole by 5.
However, the problem was still hidden. Sahith Theegala was 4 sous after having run five birdies in a stretch of six holes on the nine rear. He finished with a pair of three strokes Bogeys, one from 18 feet at n ° 17, the other at around 60 feet on the ridge on the 18th, and pulled 69.
